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National Grid ESO - forward plan - solar panels

Forward Plan

National Grid ESO publishes a Forward Plan each year that describes what we’re planning to do to create value for our customers, stakeholders and energy consumers.

This allows them to hold us to account for delivery and enhances our levels of transparency, engagement and accountability

Breadcrumb

  • Our strategy

Our Forward Plan helps you understand what we aim to deliver over the course of a financial year, by setting out our ambitious plan of deliverables.

It also shows the metrics we will use to measure our performance during the year, and how our activities this year fit into the bigger picture of the energy transition.

The Forward Plan sets out our activities under three role areas:

  1. Control centre operations
  2. Market development and transactions
  3. System insight, planning and network development

Our Forward Plan 2020-21 sets out our immediate steps until the start of RIIO-2 to achieve our ambitions.

National Grid ESO - key workers keeping the lights on during covid 19 - man measuring

Download our Forward Plan

Download the full 2020-21 Forward Plan 

Download Forward Plan 2020-21 

Download the Forward Plan Addendum, which updates our deliverables and metrics taking into account the impact of COVID-19

Download Forward Plan Addendum 

Our response to Ofgem's feedbackHow we calculated our balancing costs benchmarks

Developed in collaboration with the energy industry

In December 2019 we consulted on a draft Forward Plan for 2020-21. 

It provides an updated set of activities and performance measures for the 2020-21 financial year, and gives our best view of what we will deliver during the year.

Stakeholders have given us feedback on this draft plan.

We've taken on board this feedback and incorporated this into the final version.

Connection and Use of System Code (CUSC)

The Draft plan

Each year, we publish a draft Forward Plan for consultation and feedback.

Download PDF

No time? Read our top-level summary.

Download PDF 

Ofgem responsePerformance Panel responseCentrica responseEnergy UK responseESB responseSP Energy Networks response
A group of people discussing paperwork

Want to know how we're doing?

We are currently working to the Forward Plan 2020-21.

The Forward Plan has been set under the RIIO-T1 price control period. 

Find out how we're are performing against it. 

Find out more

Historical documents

Here you can download previous Forward Plan documents and information that provides more context around our activities.

Forward Plan 2019-21

Documents

ESO Forward Plan 2019-21
ESO Forward Plan 2019-21 interactive
ESO Forward Plan 2019-21 consultation event slides
ESO Forward Plan 2019-21 panel questions

Consultation responses

SP Transmission response
Drax response
ADE response
Centrica response
Solar trade association
Elexon response
Renewables UK response
Scottish Power response
Innogy Renewables response
Orsted response
Storelectric response
UKPN response
WPD response
Energy UK response
Ofgem response
ENWL response
Forward Plan 2018-19

We published the final version of our first ESO Forward Plan in March 2018. 

It’s an ambitious plan, outlining the activities and outputs we’ll deliver for 2018-19 to realise value for our customers, stakeholders and energy consumers. 

The plan also allows them to hold us to account for delivery.   

ESO Forward Plan 2018/19
ESO Delivery Schedule
ESO Performance Metrics Definition
ESO Stakeholder Engagement Report
ESO Glossary of Key Terms
ESO Principle 4 Relaunch
ESO Principle 5 Update
ESO Principle 6 Update
ESO response to Call for input 18-21
Mid-year panel session slides

Consultation responses

Elexon response
WPD response
Ofgem response
E.ON response
FPSA response
Smartest Energy response
Storelectric response
Energy UK response
Citizens Advice response
Centrica response
ADE response
KiWi Power response
Drax response
SP transmission response
Intergen response
ENWL response
Innogy response
Catapult response
Greater London Authority response

Consultation documents

Download documents relating to our consultation activities.

Consultation event agenda
ESO Forward Plan Consultation Event Slides
ESO Webinar Slides
ESO Sli.do Answers
ESO Webinar Questions
Speech by Director of System Operations, Fintan Slye

Supporting documents 

Driving Performance through Stakeholder Engagement
Getting the balance right
ESO 2030 Ambition workshop materials
ESO 2030 ambition discussion notes
Consumer Value Thought Piece
 
National Grid ESO
© National Grid 2021

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