Network operators plan to release 139 GW of capacity to the UK’s power grid

The British Energy Networks Association (ENA) has released a new report, which sets the industry’s goal to release an estimated 139 GW of additional network capacity to the UK’s power grid. According to the report, the new capacity would add to the existing 112 GW, exceeding the 225 GW needed to achieve the decarbonisation of the grid. 

Out of the 139 GW planned, 50 GW were already made available to the costumers in 2023, and the organisation plans to release up to 90 GW of capacity via a “first ready, first connected” process. ENA aims to accelerate the releasing process by allowing some applicants to connect faster (up to 70 GW or through the differential treatment of storage capacity (3 GW). It also aims to have a more coordinated and realistic network planning procedure between transmission and distribution operators, which would release 46 GW. The report also calls out for a wider policy reform, specifically for planning, land rights and consenting reforms to speed up the building of new infrastructure, as well as to make improvements to how ‘the queue’ is accessed and prioritised.

In November 2023, the UK released its Connections Action Plan to reform the grid connection process and reduce overall delays from five years to no more than six months, effectively cutting delays by up to 90%, considering that the total connection queue for transmission and distribution projects goes up to 500 GW, with more than 230 projects in line to be connected to the grid. 

The UK has an electricity capacity of 106 GW (end of 2022), with a carbon free capacity share of 60%. The country plans to increase the number of renewable power plants such as wind and solar to decarbonise its power sector by 2035.