Energy UK response to NESO’s Connections Methodologies Annual Consultation

Executive Summary

Energy UK welcomes the consultation and wider engagement on these connection methodologies. The NESO must effectively engage with the sector on these changes, and the short timeframe for responses may mean that some in the sector are unable to respond due to other critical consultations and ongoing workstreams.

Energy UK would note the following core positions.

• Battery projects in the connection queue should not have their protected status removed as this is a policy reversal and would hurt investor confidence instead encouraged attrition should be the primary way to reduce the oversupply of batteries in the queue.
• Hybrid projects particularly those collocated with storage should be favoured in the connection queue at least in post-2035 due their cost-effective impact on the network infrastructure
• Repowering projects need to be treated better in the connection queue. They are low-regret projects and can relatively quickly provide increased renewable energy capacity via an existing connection corridor.
• Amending protection clause 2b would be appropriate, as many much-needed projects with support contracts would not have been in the queue when reform began, but should still be considered priority projects. Amending this policy will allow new strategically aligned projects to receive protection clause 2b status.
• Allowing Modification Applications (ModApps) to be eligible for capacity reallocation introduces gaming risks. Allowing ModApps to benefit from capacity reallocation risks introducing a strategic backdoor route to queue advancement, undermining the discipline established by CMP434.

If you have any questions about this response or wish to engage with Energy UK and its members, we would welcome further engagement.