Britain’s National Energy System Operator (NESO) has announced a major overhaul of the country’s power grid connection process, aiming to remove stalled or inactive “zombie” projects that have been slowing progress.
The changes come as the UK works toward its goal of a mostly decarbonised electricity system by 2030. Achieving this target will require a rapid rollout of renewable energy infrastructure such as wind farms, solar plants, and large-scale battery storage — all needing timely access to the national grid.
The government has also expressed ambitions for the UK to emerge as a leading global hub for artificial intelligence, which would require substantial power access for expanding data centres.
For years, the grid operated on a traditional first-come, first-served model, leading to a huge backlog of projects waiting for approval. More than 700 gigawatts of proposals are currently in the queue — around four times what the UK needs to hit its clean energy goals for 2030.
Kayte O’Neill, NESO’s Chief Operating Officer, said the new rules will streamline progress:
“These reforms will remove long-standing bottlenecks by prioritising projects that are genuinely ready to proceed. This provides clarity, accelerates investment, and supports the transition to clean energy.”
Under the revised system, grid access will be fast-tracked for proposals that meet key criteria, including:
- Approved planning permissions
- Confirmed land ownership or rights
- Alignment with national energy and sustainability targets
NESO reviewed around 3,000 existing applications. Of these:
- 132 GW were identified as essential for the UK’s 2030 clean power target
- Another 151 GW will be needed by 2035
- 99 GW of applications related to power demand — such as data centres — will also be prioritised
However, more than 300 GW of projects will be removed from the queue for failing to meet readiness or alignment requirements.
UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the update was overdue:
“We inherited a system that allowed stalled projects to block progress. This reform clears the path for real, viable energy investment.”
According to NESO, the overhaul is the result of extensive cooperation with industry players, energy regulators including Ofgem, network operators and government departments.