The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has released an updated timeline for its grid connection reform process, setting out key milestones for developers seeking access to the electricity network.
Under the revised schedule, developers will begin receiving notifications on the outcome of their applications for priority queue positions by the first week of December, NESO said on Wednesday.
Transmission projects with protected 2026/27 connection dates—classified under “Gate 2”—will receive formal offers no later than the end of January 2026. For Gate 2 projects scheduled through to 2030, offers will be made by the end of the second quarter of 2026, while post-2030 agreements are expected to be issued by the end of the third quarter of the same year.
NESO said it would aim “wherever possible” to meet these milestones ahead of the published deadlines.
“These committed delivery milestones will give customers the certainty they need to make investment decisions and move projects forward with confidence,” the operator said in a statement. The updated roadmap is also intended to reduce project risk and support national programmes such as the Contracts for Difference auctions and the Regional Energy System Plan.
NESO’s chief operating officer Kayte O’Neill said the move represents a significant step in the transformation of Great Britain’s electricity infrastructure.
“Today NESO sets out the updated timeline to deliver connections offers to our customers as we continue the transformation of our electricity network,” O’Neill said. “It is a crucial move towards achieving clean power by 2030 and will help drive economic growth across Great Britain. By focusing on agreements for projects that are both critical for 2030 and ready to proceed, developers gain the certainty needed to make investment decisions.”
The reforms are part of NESO’s broader efforts to modernise grid access and ensure that energy infrastructure keeps pace with the UK’s decarbonisation targets.
