The National Energy System Operator (NESO) and UK electricity network operators announced that, connection offers have been issued for 58% of the projects included in the country’s .

A total of 713 out of 1,223 projects have been issued formal connection offers, setting out when and where they can connect to the electricity network, as well as any upgrades required to facilitate their connection.

The projects covered by these offers represent 37 GW of new electricity generation and storage capacity, including offshore wind, onshore wind, solar PV, battery energy storage and hydropower. These technologies are expected to play a central role in delivering the UK Government’s clean energy targets and supporting the transition to a decarbonised power system.

Connections reform accelerates project delivery

The milestone forms part of the UK’s ongoing reform of the grid connection process, which replaces the previous "first come, first served" model that led to lengthy delays and an increasingly congested queue of projects awaiting connection.

Under the new framework, projects must meet stricter readiness requirements, including securing planning consent, land rights and demonstrating alignment with national clean energy priorities. The objective is to prioritise projects that are ready to proceed while preventing speculative developments from occupying valuable grid capacity.

According to NESO, the revised approach is already helping to reduce connection delays and provide developers with greater certainty to move forward with investment decisions.

Up to £40 billion in annual clean energy investment

NESO estimates that the projects receiving connection offers through the new process could help unlock up to £40 billion in annual investment in clean energy and storage, supporting economic growth while accelerating the deployment of renewable generation and energy storage across the UK.

Kayte O’Neill, Chief Operating Officer of NESO, said the milestone demonstrates that the connections reform is delivering tangible results by enabling construction-ready projects to connect to the network more quickly and giving investors greater confidence to advance projects.

Meanwhile, the Energy Networks Association (ENA) said network operators are already working on the next phase of implementation to further accelerate grid connections and support the delivery of the UK's clean energy ambitions.

Grid expansion remains essential

While the reform of the connections process is considered a key step towards achieving the UK Government’s 2030 clean power objectives, NESO stressed that additional measures will still be required.

These include the construction of thousands of kilometres of new transmission lines and cables, upgrades to existing network infrastructure, and faster planning and permitting procedures to ensure projects can be delivered on schedule.

UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks said that making it easier for renewable energy and storage projects to connect to the grid would help shield consumers from fossil fuel price volatility while supporting the expansion of domestically generated clean electricity.