Seven new electricity substations are needed in Norfolk, or thousands of planned new homes and businesses will not have enough power, councillors have warned.
The new sites, costing more than £60m, are required on locations on the edge of Norwich as well as in Thetford, Attleborough and Snetterton, according to Norfolk County Council leaders.
Those are schemes included on a plan called the Norfolk Strategic Infrastructure Development Plan, which also includes schemes such as the Norwich Western Link and Long Statton bypass, which County Hall leaders say must be priorities over the next 10 years.
Conservative cabinet member Bill Borrett, who represents Elmham and Mattishall, said: "We know there are great patches of the county where economic development is not possible because the power is not available.
"If we are to be serious about economic growth and high-quality jobs to support the residents of Norfolk, something basic, like the availability of power to facilitate that, is really important.
"There are several projects talked about which perhaps the public does not consider terribly glamorous, but are actually absolutely key for us delivering a vibrant economy."
The plan includes two new substations in Attleborough, and a further two in Sprowston, with others in Thetford, Cringleford and Snetterton.
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Developers have already committed money to some, such as the £6.5m substation at Thetford, which will be provided by the company behind the Kingsfleet housing scheme.
But others have yet to have funding secured, although council bosses expect developers to stump up some of the cash.
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Money could also come from pooled business rates or via the community infrastructure levy - a tax on developers.
The need for new substations comes at a time when Norfolk is facing major changes due to the cables which will come to shore from new offshore wind farms.
The "emerging risk" of lithium-ion batteries used to store power generated by those schemes was recently raised by fire chiefs.
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