NESO sets out timeline for Connections Reform

National Energy System Operator (NESO) has today (10 June 2025) published its timeline for the delivery of connections reform across 2025. This timeline will provide clarity to developers as part of the once in a lifetime reordering of the electricity transmission connections queue.

Delivering connections reform will require significant effort across NESO, electricity networks and developers to ensure it is delivered successfully. Ensuring that investors and developers receive certainty for their projects as soon as possible is central to NESO’s approach.

On 8th July NESO will open the transmission evidence submission window for transmission projects and Distribution Network Operators, representing projects on their distribution networks, to come forward with evidence of their project’s maturity and deliverability. The transmission evidence window will remain open until the 29th July after which NESO will begin the process to reorganise the over 3,000 projects in the transmission connection queue.

Given the thousands of applications that need to be reviewed and reordered as part of connections reform, a critical step to the success of Connections reform will be to ensure that developers are fully engaged and up to date on the actions they need to undertake.

To support developers through the connections reform evidence submission window NESO will be running weekly webinars, publishing on-demand videos and regularly updating FAQs, alongside the evidence handbook published in May. Developers will also be supported in this engagement by bespoke programmes run by DNOs and the Energy Networks Association.  

Developers can help NESO and networks through this process by getting ready now and engaging early with the evidence submission window. This will help NESO to ensure that delays in providing new connections agreements later in the year can be avoided, ensuring that developers and investors receive the clarity they need at the earliest possible opportunity.

Given the scale of connections reform and to ensure a fair and transparent process for all, NESO will be unable to provide bespoke advice and individual consultations to guide individual developers through this process, so it is critical that they engage now with the evidence submission handbook and with the webinars and other supporting material that will be made available in the coming weeks.

Following the evidence submission window, NESO will begin to reorder the connections queue, and from the Autumn will being to issue new connection agreements, prioritising first needed first deliverable projects critical to the success of Clean Power by 2030.

Matt Vickers, Director of Connections Reform, NESO 

We want to work closely with developers through this process, so they have as much information as possible to help them through the evidence submission window opening in July. Given the scale of the task ahead of us, developers of all sizes will need to work with us and network operators to help make sure connections reform is a success by engaging in the process at the earliest opportunity. 

Kyle Smith, Head of Connections, ENA, said:

“Working with NESO to reform and accelerate the grid connections process is one of network operators’ top priorities and today’s timeline shows the progress that is being made. People should review the recently published evidence submission handbook now to ensure they are ready for the next steps in the project assessment process.

“We also should not forget that reforming the connections queue is just part of the solution - we also need to modernise our planning processes and approach to land rights to ensure local decisions align with national priorities, helping networks to deliver the government’s ambitions for renewable infrastructure investment.”