How reforming the grid connections process can power Britain's economic growth

In this blog, our Director of Connections Reform, Matt Vickers, writes about how reforming the connections process can power Great Britain's economic growth through delivering clean and affordable energy for consumers.

I am delighted to introduce myself to those who may not be familiar with me. I joined the National Energy System Operator (NESO) five months ago from the Energy Ombudsman and my primary focus at NESO is leading Connections Reform.

It’s not a secret that the process of connecting to the electricity system was designed at a time when the demand for electricity was much lower, less complex and without decarbonisation in mind. 

Reforming Great Britain’s (GB) connections process presents a huge opportunity to deliver clean power by 2030 affordably and securely, ensuring the thousands of clean energy projects that can energise growth are built to time. 

In collaboration with Ofgem, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), network companies, and customers, I am dedicated to driving this reform forward and excited for the wider benefits that a more agile connections process will bring to industry and wider society.

Lots done but much more to do 

Thankfully, we are not starting this reform from scratch. We have made significant progress so far, and I’m particularly proud of our achievements:

• We have implemented queue management milestones to ensure that projects that do not maintain progress in their development are removed from the queue (CMP376).
• Through code governance, we have collaborated with industry (CMP434 and 435) to make the grid connection process more efficient by prioritising projects that are ready to connect.
• We have held over 50 Workgroups and workgroup members have put forward 7 Workgroup Alternative CUSC Modifications (WACMs). We’re grateful to the many people across industry who have engaged in the process. There has been significant work carried out against necessarily challenging timelines given the urgency reform requires. 

In order to decarbonise power, we must go further and faster. We must radically reform the connections process, making it more agile, simpler to understand and ultimately aligned with the Government’s clean power mission.

The case for change is clear

Streamlining the connections process has the potential to fuel economic growth in the UK.

We can expedite the development of energy projects that are crucial for driving economic expansion and meeting our climate targets. These projects, ranging from renewable energy installations to infrastructure upgrades, attract investment, generate employment opportunities and stimulate local economies.

Getting there requires doing things differently, with greater efficiency, driving collective action, and most importantly, a sense of urgency. Yet, we must also brace ourselves for the immense challenges that lie ahead which will not always be popular.

Expanding upon our progress so far, we are directing our reform efforts towards two primary areas:

1. Accountability: By introducing clearer milestones for project progression, we will ensure that projects can progress as necessary and be held accountable along the way. 
    
2. Flexibility: We will enable flexibility for the queue to be reformed in line with the technology mix that Britain needs. We will consult with industry on these changes and Ofgem will continue to provide assurance to ensure an open and robust process.

The Connections 360 tool will ensure a more transparent process

Currently NESO receives a large volume of speculative connections applications, and we are mindful that stakeholders have told us that the process is not simple or user friendly. 

That’s why today, we have launched Connections 360, an online tool that provides a comprehensive visualisation of the Transmission Entry Capacity (TEC) register to ensure a more transparent connections process. 

The platform will provide industry stakeholders with greater insight into GB’s connections landscape, allowing for more informed connections applications and hopefully a reduction in speculative applications.

Connections 360

Next steps

We will invite your feedback on our methodologies consultation in early November and will provide details through various channels such as workgroups, webinars, and emails to keep you updated. The methodologies consultation will seek your views on the specific approaches and guidelines to be followed in the connections process to support the achievement of our clean power objectives.

We understand that the change ahead is unprecedented and may face controversy at times. However, we are fully committed to continuing with a robust and transparent process that engages and consults with industry stakeholders.

I cannot emphasise enough the importance of your involvement. We cannot do this without you.