Southampton heat network zone

Southampton has the longest-running city network among the pilot places: the Southampton District Energy Scheme has operated since 1986, using geothermal heat among other sources. The June 2025 report builds out from it. We could not confirm the current operator from a primary source.

1. September 2024

   1Pilot

   Listed among the 28 places in the government's heat network zoning pilot, which published its first outputs in September 2024.

   Source: Heat networks zoning pilot (GOV.UK)

18 possible zones, three of them strategic, anchored by the General and Princess Anne hospitals and the National Oceanography Centre. Smaller zones include the Airport and International Way.

Candidate areas come from government-commissioned studies and council work. They are not legal boundaries. A zone’s boundary is fixed only when it is designated under the zoning regulations.

We have found no appointed or bidding developer for Southampton.

No statutory zone developer can be appointed until a zone is designated. Partners appointed by councils before then are listed as development or delivery partners.

• Southampton District Energy Scheme

  Running since 1986. Operator not confirmed from a primary source.

  Source: Heat network zone opportunity report: Southampton (by AECOM)

• 2 Jun 2025Remaining 13 zone opportunity reports published
• 23 Sep 2024First zoning pilot outputs: heat network zone maps

1. Heat networks zoning pilot (updated 25 November 2025) — Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 25 November 2025
2. Heat network zone opportunity report: Southampton (by AECOM) — Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 2 June 2025

Record last checked 8 November 2026.