Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 15
15
Deferred
Paragraph: 88
Limited visibility of grid connections queue; recent reforms may initially lengthen waiting times.
Conclusion
Overall visibility of the grid connections queue is limited, and it is possible that the immediate effect of the reforms introduced has been to lengthen the connections queue as developers react to the new regime. While we welcome the Ofgem project milestone reforms which took effect in November 2023, the measures entailed in the Connections Action Plan may take longer to have a positive effect on the queue.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government's response discusses the definition of green jobs and the role of the Office for Clean Energy Jobs in developing skills and monitoring the clean energy workforce, without addressing the committee's observations on grid connections queue visibility or the impact of recent reforms.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
88
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
Government and Ofgem are working at pace with the National Energy System Operator (NESO) and network companies to accelerate connections. In March 2024, Ofgem granted urgency status to code modification proposals for a reformed connections process5 that would require new and existing projects to demonstrate sufficient progress to obtain and retain a connection agreement. The capacity released will enable accelerated connection of viable generation and demand projects that align with our strategic needs, including ensuring projects necessary for 2030 Clean Power can connect in time. DESNZ and Ofgem published a joint open letter in November 2024 supporting proposals to align grid connections with strategic plans and announcing government’s intention to legislate to ensure the connections process enables delivery of the Clean Power by 2030 ambition.6 NESO plans to submit proposals and options for connections reform to Ofgem by the end of 2024. Ofgem is expected to make a decision on proposals in early 2025. DESNZ and Ofgem agree on the need to actively monitor progress on connections reform. This is done through the Connections Delivery Board,7 which also provides strategic direction to industry where further action is required. The Department has established a senior stakeholder group convened by the Minister for Energy to monitor actions across the Electricity Networks programme including those on connections reform. Ofgem has worked with the Energy Networks Association (ENA) to ensure data on the status of the connections queue is collected from network companies and made publicly available on a regular basis. This data is now published on a monthly basis on the ENA website.8 Ofgem and Government continue to work with NESO and network companies to implement connections reform. This includes revising network modelling assumptions and allowing projects to connect ahead of network capacity being permanently available. This is already accelerating connections for renewable generation and storage projects. Longer-term connection reforms are also underway to ensure viable generation and demand projects that are aligned with net zero, Clean Power 2030 and other energy objectives can connect to the network faster.
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