Help to shape three areas of the RESP methodology - 2 to 16 March

Please note: this article has been updated since it was first published on 20 February.

NESO is taking the next important step in developing the Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs) Methodology.

In November 2025, we launched a six-week consultation on the RESP Methodology. The consultation invited customers and stakeholders to provide feedback on our proposed approach to regional energy strategic planning (RESP). The consultation closed on 16 January 2026 and we're currently analysing all responses, which will inform the final methodology. We are due to publish the final version in Summer 2026.

On 2 March 2026, we will publish a document to share the additional work we’ve undertaken and open a two-week window for feedback, from 2 to 16 March. During the feedback window you will be able to share your views through an online response form.

Three areas of additional work 

Since closing the consultation in January 2026, we have been developing further detail on specific areas of the methodology. We anticipated this would be necessary when we published the consultation in November 2025, and had this view confirmed by Ofgem and customers and stakeholders through their consultation responses.

What are the three areas?

We have undertaken work to provide additional clarity and technical depth on three areas of the RESP Methodology:

1. Spatial context for gas and biomethane
2. Whole system optimisation
3. Specification of strategic investment need

Since this article was published on 20 February, we have made two changes:

We will not be publishing additional work on network planning assurance. This is because network planning assurance is not part of NESO's process for producing the RESPs and therefore does not require a detailed section in the RESP methodology. Instead, the network planning assurance section of the RESP methodology will be higher level and take a more principle-based approach for both gas and electricity distribution networks. This approach will align with the RESP Policy Framework, the new RESP licence and guidance, and will reflect that further details will be provided in due course by Ofgem as part of their price control or reopener processes.

The network planning assurance webinar originally planned for 4 March is no longer taking place. For those stakeholders already signed up, we will write to you directly to invite you to a meeting of the RESP Technical Working Group in March/April 2026.

We will provide an update on our approach to network planning assurance at the RESP Methodology Areas for Further Development launch webinar on 2 March 2026. Sign up here.

We are inviting customers and stakeholders to attend the following interactive webinars:

The launch webinar & interactive webinars

The launch webinar will outline the new document and open the new two-week feedback window and explain the process for responding. The interactive webinars will be deep dive sessions into the three specific areas for further development, giving you the opportunity to share views and ask questions.  We will be making the webinar recordings publicly available on our website.

Who should provide feedback?

The 90-minute interactive webinars are intended for those organisations and individuals with a more detailed, technical level of knowledge and experience of energy system planning. However, we welcome feedback from all our customers and stakeholders, and will be making the document, feedback platform and webinars publicly available.

Questions or support

If you have any questions about the events or the RESP Methodology, please contact the RESP Team at [email protected]