What is Transmission Entry Capacity (TEC) amnesty?
Decarbonisation, decentralisation and rapid changes in technology mean that faster, more efficient approaches are needed for those wanting to connect to the transmission system.
The current connections processes were designed at a time when a small number of large fossil fuel generators were connecting to the transmission network. The growth of the connections queue is leading to delays to connection dates, we are working with stakeholders to improve the connections process for new generation and demand to connect to the transmission network, both in the short and long term.
TEC amnesty is a process run by the ESO, in partnership with Transmissions Owners (TOs), whereby we invite all parties with Connections Agreements listed on the TEC register (e.g. Generation developers) to confirm whether they would be willing to terminate their agreement at minimal or no cost, or reduce their TEC.
We have been working closely with Ofgem and the three TO’s, we understand the concerns that stakeholders have raised about the connections queue and the need to implement more effective Queue Management (QM) arrangements. Improving queue management will deliver value to consumers by better optimising the investments required to connect Customers, as well as helping deliver Government’s decarbonisation policies.
TEC amnesty is the first phase in this process along with the queue management CUSC work group (CMP 376) restarting. With this in mind, and ahead of queue management milestones being applied within Connection Agreements, we are proposing a TEC amnesty to allow Customers to leave the queue or reduce TEC with no or reduced cost.
If Code modification CMP376 is approved by Ofgem then queue management milestones will be applied to all new applications and Modification Applications received after Ofgem’s decision. This TEC amnesty is an opportunity for customers to leave the queue before these milestones apply.
How does this link to Queue Management?
The TEC amnesty is the last opportunity for projects to leave the queue with no or little cost ahead of the Queue Management milestones coming in place following the code modification which has recently re-started.
