Ofgem has announced today (14th February) a reform to fast-track grid connections, making it cheaper for cleaner power to plug into the electricity grid.
The new connections system, which could be in place in spring 2025, would end the first-come, first-served system where clean energy generation or storage projects that we need cannot get plugged into the grid quickly enough, with some waiting a decade or more.
Under proposals published today, projects would be fast-tracked if they can be operational quickly and are needed to hit the government’s clean power targets for 2030. This new system, which prioritises projects that are “ready” and “needed” would see accelerated new offers made by the end of the year, with the first connected and operational from 2026.
Akshay Kaul, Ofgem’s Director General for Infrastructure, said, “This is a step change in tackling delays and shortening queues on what is currently an outdated and unwieldy system. It is key to achieving the Clean Power mission by 2030.
“Britain will not get a clean power grid by 2030 unless an unprecedented volume of new renewable power and storage is connected to electricity networks – that’s why we’re cutting back the red tape and replacing the out-of-date connections system.
“It will also help speed up connections for public services, including housing, hospitals and EV charging stations, as well as new industries like data centres which are key to boosting economic growth”.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said, “We have enough energy projects in the grid connection queue to deliver clean power by 2030, but many are stuck behind speculative schemes, leading to delays of up to 10 years.
“These reforms are critical to deliver clean power by 2030 , which will bring forward an estimated £200 billion of private investment.
“Our Clean Power Action Plan will fix the broken ‘first come first served’ system and these changes will mean a targeted approach which prioritises quicker connections for the right projects in the right place, so Britain can accelerate towards a new era of clean electricity.”
These proposed reforms are the result of over two years of activity across the energy industry covering consultations, code modification working groups and wider engagement to create these proposals submitted to Ofgem by the National Energy System Operator (NESO). This collaboration reflects the commitment across the energy sector to deliver a new more efficient, connections process to deliver Clean Power by 2030 and net zero by 2050.
Ofgem is now asking anyone with an interest to respond to the consultation by Friday 14th March 2025.
Vicky Read, CEO of ChargeUK, said, “ChargeUK’s members are deploying charge points at a record rate, with close to 75,000 public charge points now in place and a new charger installed every 25 minutes.
“The changes by Ofgem to speed up these connections will be vital in getting more charge points in the ground, especially where they are needed the most. This will provide more choice to today’s EV drivers and serve the millions of additional EVs that will come onto our roads in the coming years.”
RenewableUK’s Director of Future Electricity Systems Barnaby Wharton said, “Promoting shovel-ready clean energy projects by removing speculative zombie schemes which are blocking them in the queue would help to reduce the huge backlog of grid connection applications across the energy sector, which now stands at over 700 gigawatts.
“As long as these measures are implemented in the right way, they should provide greater clarity for developers on faster timescales to connect to the grid, potentially unlocking up to £15bn investment in offshore wind alone, helping us to reach the Government’s target of clean power by 2030”.
