Oxford has a severe housing problem. With house prices 12 times the average salary, it has become one of the least affordable cities in the country. Its council house waiting list has grown to more than 3,000 households, with many having to live in temporary accommodation. An obvious solution is to build more homes, but those trying to do this face a big barrier: electricity. “When I talk to developers or potential developers, one of the first questions they now ask me is about grid capacity,” says Susan Brown, leader of Oxford city council. With housing developments competing for power against energy-hungry tech companies and the city’s increasingly electrified transport network, connection prospects are a matter of concern for housebuilders. “The problem [for developers] is securing sufficient energy, and the time it takes to connect to the grid,” Brown says. The council estimates that 26,000 new homes will be needed in and around the city by 2040, but it fears any building plans could be delayed by capacity constraints. In the nearby market town of Bicester, this has already happened. “The latest expansion in Bicester was supposed to see an additional 7,000 homes and a large commercial zone built, but...