- Some projects face 15-year waiting lists to connect to the grid
- The UK government is reviewing waiting list requirements to remove non-viable applications
- Permission granted to some developers to build high voltage lines and substations
The UK government has set out plans to prioritize network connections for strategically important projects, recognizing the barriers some AI data centers currently face.
Demand to connect to the transmission network has grown by 460% in the last six months, with some projects facing wait times of up to 15 years to get network connections, the Government wrote, criticizing serious delays and oversubscribed queues.
As part of the change, key priority sectors such as AI data centers, AI growth zones, electric vehicle charging centers and electrified industrial sites will benefit.
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UK Government to address delays in connecting key infrastructure to the grid
The Government says it will also remove speculative or non-viable applications from the grid connection process to clear the way, introducing stricter requirements for joining or staying in the queue.
A new Connection Accelerator Service will also be launched, with details due later this year, which would help certain projects gain faster access, and data centers could even be eligible for discounts on electricity costs.
To take some of the pressure off the National Grid, the Government is also considering allowing some developers to build their own high-voltage lines and substations to further speed up connections.
The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has so far cut the queue of grid connections by more than half by prioritizing viable clean energy projects, but the changes could have much bigger implications on the economy, unlocking up to £40bn a year of private investment and saving £5bn on unnecessary grid upgrades.
NESO chief operating officer Kayte O’Neill wrote: “We are committed to working with government, industry and Ofgem to prioritize strategically important projects, while eliminating speculative applications.”
Eleanor Warburton, director of Energy Systems Design and Development at Ofgem, agreed that “bold action is needed to tackle the growing bottleneck in demand projects connecting to the grid”.
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