Image credit: National Grid.
Working with the Energy Networks Association (ENA) and network operators, NESO has offered a grid connection to over 700 shovel-ready energy projects, supporting up to £40bn of annual clean energy investment in Great Britain.
This includes new solar and wind farms, hydropower locations, battery energy storage and gas power stations, which will collectively unlock almost 40 gigawatts (GW) of extra capacity. All of these projects have been deemed ‘ready-to-go’ and significant for the Labour Government’s 2030 clean energy target, which aims to meet 95% of the country’s energy mix with low-carbon sources by the end of the decade.
Of the 1,223 projects in the 2030 pipeline, 713 have been issued connection offers, with outlines of when and where projects can connect, and what enabling upgrades are needed on the transmission and distribution networks to onboard them.
“Today’s milestone shows connections reform is delivering real results. By working closely with network companies, we are cutting delays and helping ready-to-build projects connect faster,” commented Kayte O’Neill, Chief Operating Officer of NESO. “These offers give developers the certainty they need to invest, supporting economic growth. They also help deliver the reliable, clean and affordable energy system Britain needs. With over half of offers made, we are focused on the next phase of delivery.”
Accelerating clean power delivery also plays a key part in the Government’s aim to “get off the fossil fuel rollercoaster”, with the Iran War continually pushing energy prices higher over the past few months.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “Upgrading the grid and making it easier for clean power projects to connect to it will help protect billpayers from fossil fuel price spikes.
“This milestone is a landmark step in putting connections reform into action – with offers issued to over 700 shovel-ready projects that will help to bring down bills for good with clean energy that we control.”
Connections queue reforms
Last year, NESO confirmed that it would be reforming electricity grid connections across Great Britain as part of the Connections Action Plan (CAP), after Ofgem identified delays in grid connections as a critical bottleneck for clean energy projects, such as solar farms, power plants and battery storage systems.
The reforms sought to overhaul the existing ‘first come, first served’ system and tackle existing issues, such as delays and inefficiencies in resource allocation.
In October, the operator set out a revised timeline for overhauling how energy projects connect to the grid, with over 300GW of capacity removed from the queue in December either due to a lack of project readiness or alignment with national targets. Over 280GW of other projects were given the go-ahead as part of the same announcement.
Despite the reforms and newly streamlined queue, earlier this year NESO told Ofgem that it will likely not meet its connection obligations for 210 energy projects, out of a total 340 awarded ‘protected’ status, under the Gate 2 energy project provisions. Gate 2 projects are intended to connect by 2027.
NESO said the delays were predominantly network-related or related to developer-side delays, with 75 projects delayed solely due to developer issues.
On the latest connections progress, Lawrence Slade, CEO of the ENA, said: “Following the networks’ CAP, network operators have worked closely with NESO, customers and the wider industry to move away from the previous system, helping to introduce one that prioritises connection-ready and strategically important projects.
“This milestone is significant, and networks are already focused on the next stage of delivery. While there is more to do, electricity networks are committed to further accelerating grid connections and continuing to engage with customers and stakeholders.”
