The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has confirmed a new pipeline of deliverable, shovel-ready energy projects that will be prioritised for connection to the electricity networks, unlocking £40 billion in clean investment annually and driving progress towards the government’s Clean Power by 2030 target.
NESO has worked closely with government, investors, networks, Ofgem and the wider energy industry on a major overhaul of the connections process, after the old queue for grid access grew tenfold in five years, reaching over 700 GW, around four times Great Britain’s projected need by 2030.
From today, thousands of projects, from wind and solar farms to battery storage and hydrogen will learn whether they are part of the 283 GW of generation and storage capacity and 99 GW of transmission-connected demand. This defined set of deliverable projects will form a new pipeline as the system moves from a first-come, first-served model to one that prioritises projects ready to meet Great Britain’s energy and economic needs.
Our transformation of the connections process sends a clear signal to the energy industry on where new network needs to be built and by when.
Connections reform will ensure Britain has the power it needs post 2030, as electricity demand is projected to almost triple up to 2050. Following today’s notifications, the first batch of protected projects scheduled to connect in 2026/2027 will begin receiving formal offers with confirmed connection dates throughout December and into the new year, with remaining offers to be finalised by Q3 next year.
Projects seeking to reapply for inclusion in the connections process will be able to do so from late 2026. To qualify, they must demonstrate both readiness to progress and strategic alignment with the Government’s Clean Power Action Plan.
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Source: National Energy System Operator (NESO)
