UK Power Networks said it could require in excess of 200MW of demand-side response to defer load-related reinforcement by 2023 and has outlined plans for its next round of tenders.
Publishing its Flexibility Roadmap, the distribution network operator (DNO) also said it would commit to flexibility first, i.e. always assessing the case for flexibility over traditional reinforcement.
The document outlines plans for a procurement process that will begin with expressions of interest next month and invitations to tender for both 2019/20 and 2020/21 in December. The tenders will then take place in March with contracts between 1-4 years available to successful DSR providers.
UKPN will tender for six months out as well as 18 months ahead of delivery – and will publish the locations in which it requires flexibility ahead of the procurement process. By 2023 that could be at as many as 53 substations, with 32 substations potentially in the frame for 2019 tenders.
The document also includes details of the kind of response UKPN requires: response times of no more than 30 minutes (though sub-10 minutes is preferred); and the ability to deliver for three hours (though pro-rata part payment is on offer for assets that may not be able to deliver for that duration).
Meanwhile, CEO Basil Scarsella states in the roadmap’s forward that UKPN has so far received over 27GW of applications for battery storage connections.
Read the roadmap here.
Related stories:
UK Power Networks outlines smart grid plans
UK Power Networks tenders for 35MW of flexibility to go live January
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