Recommendation 11

The National Policy Statements should give significant weight to the availability of a grid connection, as a paramount consideration in determining where electricity generation projects can be located. However, by the same token, where a project has not yet secured a grid connection, the prospects of doing so should also be a material consideration weighing for or against the grant of development consent. NESO may need to provide the Secretary of State with information to ensure that this question is considered accurately, fairly and efficiently within the development consent process. • The Government should strengthen the existing guidance in the National Policy Statements to clarify that the Secretary of State should give significant weight to the availability of a grid connection. • The National Policy Statements should clarify how the Secretary of State should assess the future prospects of a project obtaining a grid connection, with reference to NESO’s recent reforms to this process. 52 • The Government and NESO should assess whether, and in what circumstances, NESO may need to provide the Secretary of State with information about the prospects of a project obtaining a grid connection and how far it is aligned with strategic plans. (Recommendation, Paragraph 34)