Placing of Energis Shares

National Grid Group PLC
9 February 2000

                                                                              
                                                                              
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA,                            
AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN                                                           
                                                                              
                                                                              
Placing of Energis shares                                                     
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
The  National Grid Group plc ('National Grid')  announces                     
the   placing    ('Placing')  of  up   to   approximately                     
30,000,000 ordinary shares of Energis plc ('Energis').                        
                                                                              
The  Placing  will be executed by way of  an  accelerated                     
bookbuilt  offering with the placing price being  decided                     
at  the close of the bookbuilding period.  The Placing is                     
expected  to close no later than 4.30 pm (GMT) on  Friday                     
11 February, although National Grid reserves the right to                     
close the Placing earlier.                                                    
                                                                              
The  net  proceeds arising from the Placing will be  used                     
for general corporate purposes, including a share buyback                     
programme  of  up  to £400 million, which  National  Grid                     
intends to initiate with immediate effect.                                    
                                                                              
David Jones, Group Chief Executive said:                                      
                                                                              
'The  placing is a further step in pursuit of our clearly                     
stated  policy  of reducing our holding in  Energis  over                     
time  and  the  share  buyback  programme  allows  us  to                     
optimise  the  efficiency of our  balance  sheet.   These                     
transactions will enhance earnings per share.'                                
                                                                              
The Placing and buyback programme will be led by ABN AMRO                     
Rothschild,  acting as the Global Co-ordinator  and  Sole                     
Bookrunner  with a syndicate comprising Cazenove  &  Co.,                     
Dresdner Kleinwort Benson and HSBC Investment Banking.                        
                                                                              
N  M  Rothschild  & Sons Limited is acting  as  financial                     
adviser to National Grid.                                                     
                                                                              
Energis is a telecommunications and internet company,                         
focused on the business market place,  providing a full                      
portfolio of voice, data and internet services.                               
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
Contact                                                                       
                                                                              
National Grid                           [phone]                    
Stephen Box                                                                   
Jill Sherratt                           (mobile [phone])                  
                                                                              
                                                                              
N M Rothschild & Sons Limited            [phone]                   
Nicholas Wrigley                                                              
Marc Middleton                                                                
                                                                              
ABN AMRO Rothschild                     [phone]                    
Matthew Westerman                                                             
                                                                              
Citigate Dewe Rogerson                   [phone]                  
Anthony Carlisle                         (mobile [phone])                 
                                                                              
                                                                              
This announcement is not an offer of securities in the                        
United States, Canada, Australia, Japan or any other                          
jurisdiction.  Securities may not be offered or sold in                       
the United States absent registration or an exemption                         
from registration.  Copies of this announcement are not                       
being and should not be distributed or sent in or into                        
the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan.                                
                                                                              
The making of the offer in, or to residents or citizens                       
of, certain jurisdictions ('Foreign Shareholders') may be                     
restricted by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions.                         
Foreign shareholders should inform themselves about and                       
observe any such applicable legal requirements in their                       
respective jurisdictions.