What is connections reform and why is it needed

What is Connections Reform and why is it needed…

All relevant generation, currently generation and storage with an installed capacity of 1MW or more, needs to go through a Transmission Impact Assessment (TIA) process.  This is the process by which the schemes are allocated their “Transmission Capacity” and granted consent to connect by the System Operator (now the National Energy System Operator or NESO).  This is an additional process over and above the connection offer and acceptance process that such schemes will go through with their DNO.

For clarity the Connections Reform process does not cover embedded demand schemes (where the process for transmission assessment (if required) is not changing) and does not cover embedded generation below the TIA threshold (currently 1MW).

Over the last 10 years we have seen a significant increase in the desire for larger, new connections, with a significant increase in the volume and capacity of schemes that are looking to connect to the DNO networks and that require Transmission consent from NESO.

As these schemes were passed through to the TIA process the potential capacity that may connect to the network was growing, almost exponentially, and to such an extent that the scale of wider transmission works that would be required to allow all to connect meant that consent dates (and wider works allocated to schemes) started to move out and very quickly were in to the mid to late 2030’s.

This was clearly not a deliverable situation for the industry and NESO, along with the Network Operators and the wider industry developed a proposal to change the process through which schemes secure their Transmission Capacity.  This work developed into the TMO4+ Connections Reform Proposals (CMP434 and CMP435).  The goal of Connections Reform is to restructure the process of Transmission Capacity allocation so that it looks to get schemes that are ready to connect and needed to meet the current strategic energy plans that Government have signed off, connected first, with the process becoming FIRST READY AND NEEDED, FIRST CONNECTED.

The process developed will transition the Transmission Assessment process to a Gated process, with schemes needing to demonstrate that they have met the Gate requirements at application.  The process will also be structured into Windows, with an initial expectation of two windows per year where schemes can apply to the NESO.

For relevant Small and Medium embedded generation schemes, the transmission assessment process is undertaken after you have applied for and accepted your distribution offer.  Once the distribution offer is accepted you will have a period of time while your project moves to secure “Gate 2” criteria compliance. Once this is achieved you will submit your scheme to the DNO for the Transmission Assessment process.  The Generator will be able to submit their application for the distribution connection offer to the DNO at any point through the year (there is no Window for this application) and your offer will be provided within current Time To Quote SLA’s.  Once the offer is accepted (within the offer validity period) then the Generator can submit their Gate 2 compliant Transmission Assessment request to the DNO at any point through the year (there is no Window for this application), however, the DNO will ONLY be able to submit your scheme to NESO for assessment within the next available Window.

Connections Reform is structured in two streams, the Gate 2 To Whole Queue process (G2TWQ), defined through CMP435, will look to restructure the existing contracted background.   ALL relevant schemes that have not connected by the point that the G2TWQ Window closes will NEED to go through the G2TWQ process.

The second stream is the Enduring TMO4+ process defined through CMP434, which will cover all future applications for Transmission Assessment after the existing queue has been restructured.  This will process will follow a similar structure to the G2TWQ process, with schemes having to demonstrate that they meet the “Gate 2” criteria before submitting the scheme to NESO for assessment in one of the windows (via the DNO for Small and Medium embedded generators). We expect the first TMO4+ window to open in late 2025 (depending on the progress of the G2TWQ programme).

ENWL are here to support customers through the Connections Reform process and this webpage is intended to provide signposting to that guidance.