Connections Reform Results

Great Britain’s energy system has turned a corner. For years, outdated rules left projects stuck in a queue that had grown to over 700GW, four times what’s needed by 2030. Now, that era ends. NESO, working with government, Ofgem and industry, has delivered a re-ordered pipeline that prioritises shovel-ready projects and future needs like solar farms, data centres, and EV superhubs.  

This page gives you the detail behind the reform: 

• Permitted capacity by technology type
• Overview of old and new connections queue make up
• High level information of Solar, Batteries and Onshore wind results by region  

The old system left shovel-ready projects waiting for up to 10 years. The queue grew to four times what’s needed by 2030, creating uncertainty and slowing investment. 

This is the backlog we’ve cleared to unlock Great Britain’s clean energy future. 

NESO worked hand-in-hand with government, Ofgem, industry, investors, and customers to design Connections Reform. Over 60 industry workgroups, 1500 applications reviewed in just 5 months, and 172 consultation responses show the scale of collaboration. This open, transparent process secured broad support from all groups and Ofgem approval in April 2025, ensuring the reforms truly reflect Great Britain’s needs. 

This chart shows how many different types of energy - including offshore wind, onshore wind, solar, and nuclear – will connect to Great Britain’s electricity grid in the future. 

• The dot on each bar shows how much of that type of energy is needed under CP30.
• The blue part shows what we need by 2030 as part of CP30 permitted capacity.
• The green part shows what we’ll need by 2035 as part of CP30 permitted capacity. 

By focusing on what’s needed, when it’s needed, we’re ensuring Great Britain’s grid is ready to meet growing future demands, enabling economic growth, deliver a secure energy system and pave the way to a sustainable energy future. 

This is a major step forward ensuring our electricity network is built where it’s needed most, and that the grid is ready to meet future needs of consumers across the whole of Great Britain. 

This process of reordering the connections pipeline is only stage one in a longer reform process. We now have a clear and accurate picture of what GB needs in the coming years and where there is market opportunity for new projects. 

The graph below illustrates how each technology type aligns against its permitted capacity. It highlights where technologies are oversupplied, at capacity, or undersupplied, and indicates which areas remain open for future applications.  

This gives a clear comparison between the capacity thresholds and the volume of projects that will get connections offers, helping our customers understand market dynamics and identify opportunities for the next application window. 

This map is for illustrative purpose only. It does not include updates related to the progression of specific customer connections. For the latest information on connections, please refer to the TEC Register.