There is common consensus across the industry that the current GB Connections process is no longer fit for purpose, and is no longer working effectively for connectees, network companies or the ESO as the UK drives towards delivering Net Zero. 

We are seeing a number of challenges: significantly increasing application volumes, many new types of connection customer, significant changes to the mix of technologies, greater interaction between Transmission and Distribution, greater complexity and uncertainty over network investment planning, and an ever-increasing need for a holistic, whole systems approach to planning network investment to ready Great Britain for Net Zero.

Key documents

Here you can find the latest documents around the connections reform project as they're published.

Case for change webinar recording - 10 January 2023

Case for change presentation - 12/13 December 2022

Case for change FAQs

 A reformed connections approach must:

The following trends have driven a need for connections reform, and shaped our overarching design objectives:

• Increasing volumes of applications driven by the energy transition

• Emergence of new types of customer, technology, and business models

• Decentralisation of energy resources and rise in distribution-level connections and operability needs

• A need for whole energy system coordination to deliver Net Zero rapidly and at best value for consumers

• Inability of the legacy approach to effectively cope with the changing market needs

Project timeline

The GB Connections Reform project has been launched to address this fundamental need for reform. Phase 1 (the subject to this report) maps out the Case for Change. We are now moving into the Design Phase (Phase 2), and then finally into the Implementation Phase from the end of April 2023.