Third Equation's Network Exchanger will begin live testing at five UK Power Networks sites, aiming to prove a viable retrofit pathway to business-as-usual deployment
Cheshire, UnitedKingdom — 25 - June 2026 — UK Power Networks and Third Equation have announced the launch of the “NeXT” project, marking the start of a live operation of its Network Exchanger (NEx) technology across five sites on the low-voltage(LV) network.
The project will demonstrate how the Network Exchanger (NEx) can help network operators unlock more capacity from existing LV infrastructure without relying on reinforcement. Installed at secondary transformers, NEx gives operators a much higher level of control by independently managing power flow on each phase, improving voltage regulation, phase balancing, power factor and overall power quality.
As more low-carbon technologies connect to local networks, LV constraints are becoming a growing challenge for operators. Technologies such as EV charging, heat pumps and solar perform best when voltage remains stable, yet traditional approaches manage all three phases together, limiting how flexibly the network can respond. NeXT has been launched to demonstrate a more precise and dynamic alternative.
The first stage of the project will focus on building and testing the Network Exchanger units and preparing suitable trial locations for safe installation. In the second stage, the units will be deployed at five strategically selected UKPower Networks sites and monitored under real-world conditions to assess their impact on power quality, network resilience and available capacity. On successful conclusion, the project is expected to create a viable retrofit pathway into business-as-usual operations.
For network operators, the significance of the project is clear: a successful outcome would demonstrate a practical route to defer reinforcement, get more from existing assets and improve control of the LV network using retrofit power electronics rather than traditional network upgrades.
Greg Dujon, CEO of ThirdEquation, said:
"NeXT is about showing that network operators can unlock more from the assets they already have. As low-voltage networks come under increasing pressure fromelectrification and distributed energy, the industry needs practical solutions that can improve capacity, control and power quality without defaulting straight to reinforcement.
This project with UK PowerNetworks is an important step because it moves NEx from innovation into live network demonstration. We believe it will show that a retrofit pathway into business-as-usual deployment is both achievable and valuable for operators looking to manage LV constraints more intelligently."
David Francis, Head of Investment Management and Innovation at UK PowerNetworks, said:
"Managing LV constraints is one of the most pressing challenges we face as electrification accelerates across our network. We're always looking for practical, cost-effective ways to get more from our infrastructure, and NEx presents an exciting pathway to do just that. This project will give us real-world evidence of how retrofit technology can improve capacity, power quality and control at the edge of the network, and whether this approach has the potential to become a strong, scalable alternative to reinforcement."
The project is also expected to provide valuable learning in three areas: technical performance under real-world network conditions, retrofit feasibility across different transformer and substation types, and operational integration with existing systems and processes. Together, these insights will help define what a scalable rollout of NEx could look like in practice.
Project Timeline: Key Dates
The NeXT project will run across 2026 and into 2027, structured across the following milestones:
Date - Milestone
April 2026 - NEx unit build and testing
August 2026 - Project sites ready
September 2026 - First NEx unit installation
March 2027 - Run of NEx units completed
April 2027 - Implementation Plan for BAU rollout
May 2027 - Dissemination and Handover
By the end of the project, Third Equation expects NeXT tohave demonstrated not only increased usable network capacity, but also aclearer route for network operators to defer reinforcement and turn existingtransformers into smarter, more flexible network assets.
For further information, contact Third Equation.
About Third Equation
Third Equation develops next generation grid enhancing technology (GET) for distribution networks. Its flagship product, the Network Exchanger (NEx), delivers real time voltage control, harmonic reduction, phase balancing, and predictive grid management to increase capacity and improve power quality across LV networks. By unlocking existing grid capacity and enabling greater integration of renewable energy sources, NEx accelerates the transition to a decarbonized electricity grid.
