Ministers are expected to endorse a report by energy industry expert Nick Winser recommending how the UK can speed up its rollout of new transmission infrastructure.
- The Government is expected to welcome proposals put forward by Mr Winser in an impending report this week, amid wider efforts to remove regulatory barriers and encourage investment in new projects.
- It comes amid a series of “targeted reforms” from the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) to speed up connections unveiled in June.
- The ESO said generators that are not progressing projects or will not meet their connection date will either be able to move backwards or leave the queue altogether, in order to make way for schemes that are delivering.
Mr Winser was appointed last year as the UK’s first Electricity Networks Commissioner, and tasked with ensuring the UK has sufficient infrastructure for a low-carbon energy system.
Reports by the FT suggest that energy secretary Grant Shapps will welcome proposals put forward by Mr Winser in an impending report this week, amid wider government efforts to remove regulatory barriers and encourage investment in new projects.
Mr Winser said earlier this year that in his findings he hoped to be able to set out ways to halve the time for delivery of major projects, from 14 to seven years.
“The 14 years is only a notional number, by the way — in some cases it has taken substantially longer,” he told MPs in June.
“I am very pleased to be reporting that we think that the process should be done in seven years.”
He also recommended more strategic planning, and an increase in transparency and sharing information with communities affected by grid developments.
Mr Shapps is set to host energy firms at a key meeting in Downing Street this week, where he is expected to face complaints over planning delays associated with new renewable energy projects.
It comes amid a series of “targeted reforms” from the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) to speed up connections unveiled in June.
Most notably, the ESO said generators that are not progressing projects or will not meet their connection date will either be able to move backwards or leave the queue altogether, in order to make way for schemes that are delivering.
Meanwhile, analysis by GE Vernova suggests that around 22GW of new transmission capacity will be needed across Scottish boundaries to prevent up to 50% of wind energy being wasted, and nearly three times that in English boundaries.
