Recently, UKPN hosted a webinar which outlined their proposed changes to grid connection applications, outlining the new ‘reforms’ they intend to put in place from the 1st November 2024, driven by the Connections Action Plan from Ofgem in 2023. The new requirements for developers are as follows:
- Must provide a Red Line Boundary, a detailed site layout plan including asset location, a detailed engineering design plan (new requirements) and a Single Line Diagram for the project (existing requirement).
- Must provide a Letter of Authority with Exclusivity to the land with a 36 month option (enhanced requirements).
- Must provide a project plan including main stages of the project, key milestones, target dates for connection and commissioning, in-depth studies, planning dates, lead times and construction dates (new requirement).
- Must provide Part 4 of SAF application form (new requirement).
As Developers, it is disappointing that it appears the only consultation that was done on this reform to the connection application process is with ENA and the Connections Process advisory group. Considering only a small group of developers form part of this group, we would have expected that a lot more effort is put in by the DNOs to engage with developers considering this change will mostly affect them, prior to its implementation in November to ensure requirements are realistic.
Root-Power have approached UKPN and other DNOs, as well as the ENA, to try understand this new policy in more detail prior to its implementation. So far we haven’t had any responses. Our main takeaways so far are as follows:
- Although increasing the application requirements is a step in the right direction which will hopefully reduce the number of developers which submit applications for speculative projects which are clogging up the connections queue, more focus needs to be done on managing the existing connections queue and reducing and managing the over-saturation which is already existent in the grid network.
- DNOs need to ensure these requirements are realistic and we are disappointed that more effort wasn’t made by DNO’s to consult Developers before implementing this change. For example, requirements for detailed engineering plans, designs, and programmes are not realistic even for many experienced developers, as at the application stages many of these details will not yet have finalised or agreed. To expect this work to be done at such an early stage of the development process, prior to getting confirmation from the DNO themselves that a connection is viable in the specified area is timely and wasteful for developers.
- If this is expected pre-application, then a lot more work needs to be done from the DNO side to ensure data on the status and capacity of their substations is publicly available, up to date, and accurate. Although heat maps for DNOs are readily available, these are generally outdated and inaccurate, and rarely reflect the outcome of the grid offer. DNOs need to allocate the resource to provide in depth pre-application grid support and information.
- As developers, we have not had any communication directly from UKPN, or any other DNOs, informing us of this change other than a slide in the UKPN webinar. Across the board, more effort needs to be taken to keep Developers up to date with these changes and reforms.
- These ENA changes need to be joined up with and aligned with the ongoing ESO reforms. We’re generally supportive of increased application requirements however these need to be realistic and discussed with Developers at consultation prior to their implementation.
We expect:
- ENA must commit to publishing a public consultation on these changes before they are implemented in November.
- Resource to be committed to ensuring up to date publicly accessible grid network data for Developers.
- More clear alignment with ongoing reforms.
- A focus from DNOs on delivering projects with planning permission and land rights.
Open letter on the reformed regulatory framework on connections (ofgem.gov.uk)