The energy regulator has emphasised the urgent need for action on grid connections reform in a recent blog post.
Jack Presley Abbott, Ofgem‘s Deputy Director – System Planning and Connections noted that recent energy announcements, including the new Mission Control for clean power, Great British Energy and the lifting of the onshore wind ban in England, have highlighted the pressing issue of the current 725GW queue.
Presley Abbott outlined that the Connections Delivery Board has been focusing on ways to address the backlog and speed up connection times to meet net zero targets.
The board reviewed data from a Request for Information issued by the ESO, which indicated that the existing proposals might not sufficiently reduce the queue or meet future energy requirements.
Two primary options for further reform were discussed: introducing technical or technology criteria and implementing financial criteria.
The technical criteria could include additional requirements for projects or limits on technology types, while financial criteria might involve new fees or financial commitments to ensure project viability.
The board also considered measures to maximise the use of existing capacity to facilitate more connections.
They plan to continue working on these proposals and aim to present detailed recommendations in September.
