Ofgem has approved a package of major reforms to the UK’s grid connection process, clearing the way for viable clean energy projects to connect more quickly and support the nation’s transition to net zero.
The proposals, submitted in December 2024, were developed collaboratively by the energy industry, government and the regulator.
They are designed to prioritise projects ready to deliver clean power, replacing the current system where over 750GW of capacity is held in the queue – far more than needed to meet 2030 and 2050 targets.
The reforms are expected to accelerate progress toward clean power by 2030 by pushing shovel-ready projects to the front of the queue, ensuring more efficient use of transmission infrastructure and boosting investor confidence, according to NESO.
Developers will gain greater certainty, unlocking what is described as a £40 billion annual investment opportunity.
The revised structure incentivises project progression while protecting those already well advanced in the queue, following feedback from stakeholders across the sector.
Further changes include a proposal known as CMP446, which would ensure smaller-scale schemes such as micro solar and community energy do not face delays due to large transmission upgrades. This will be achieved by lowering the threshold at which a Transmission Impact Assessment must be undertaken.
The reforms form part of a wider ambition to double the pace of grid infrastructure build over the next five years compared with the last decade. Industry figures said the approval marks a key moment in the shift from connections being a barrier to becoming an enabler of the wider energy transition.
Responding to the pledge to remove ‘zombie’ projects from the National Grid connection queue, Sam Richards, CEO of pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade, welcomed the move.
“Any steps to speed up the time it takes for infrastructure projects to secure a grid connection are welcome news,” he said.
“It’s ridiculous that projects which will never get off the ground are allowed to squat in the grid queue year after year, simply by paying a few thousand pounds, while much needed new energy sources and growth-driving AI data centres are forced to wait years for a connection.”