The Connectology® Podcast by Roadnight Taylor

#69 Grid News and Views 15 - Has Connections Reform really failed?

NESO's unveiling of the new queue last Monday came with the surprising announcement that very few projects have been considered for advancement, with several DNOs announcing on the same day that all advancement requests for embedded projects in their networks had been rejected. In this Connectology® episode, Connectologists® Pete Aston, Alex Ikonic, Nikki Pillinger, and Catherine Cleary explore the capacity realities across different technologies, the surprising lack of advancement opportunities, and the tight timelines developers now face.
Technology specific results were much as expected and in the most competitive pots such as battery storage and Scottish onshore wind only projects which have already gained planning consent have made it into the new queue. Onshore wind remains the only technology with meaningful remaining headroom in England and Wales for future Gate 2 windows.
The podcast explores: 
Advancement disappointment: Why very few projects received advancement despite numerous requests, with distribution projects seeing none—particularly surprising given DNOs and transmission operators had already held positive engineering conversations on specific schemes 
Critical timelines ahead: Protected customers receive offers January-March, with all 2030 offers by end Q2. Several DNOs require acceptance within four weeks, with securities potentially needed upfront before DNOs sign their own transmission offers 
What's next: SSEP delay to end 2027 means next year's windows limited to unfilled capacity. Built projects with January 2026 energization dates now face multi-year delays from failed enabling works delivery. 
The team also discusses the confirmed Project Commitment Fee structure and emphasizes the dedication of DNO connection teams working past midnight to deliver notifications under intense pressure. 
Recorded 10 December 2025
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#68 Addressing Connection Uncertainty – Part 1 – with Graham Pannell, BayWa r.e

Do grid connection challenges persist because critical voices are being kept at arm’s length? Connectologists® Catherine Cleary and Kyle Murchie sit down with Graham Pannell, BayWa r.e‘s Head of Grid and Electricity Regulation, to explore why formal industry forums delivered transformational policy improvements—and why we urgently need them reinstated.
Graham brings 15-20 years of sharp-end policy development experience. His track record speaks volumes: the DG Forum delivered heat maps, capacity registers, application fees, queue management milestones, and the Incentive on Connections Engagement—all because developers and network operators sat in rooms together to solve real problems.
Graham’s current disconnect:
Uncertainty blocking delivery: Protected projects for 2026-2028 can’t align programmes, procure equipment, or coordinate outages because basic engineering conversations aren’t happening
NESO’s perception gap: A recent advisory day revealed their list of “key problems” bore little resemblance to what developers actually face
Procurement crisis: TO costs have nearly doubled for some asset types, with £800k quotes for equipment worth £80-160k
The concertina effect: Months of delays compressing into impossible 2027 delivery windows
What Graham says is needed: bilateral engineering conversations between protected projects, customer account managers, and TOs to align construction programmes before Gate 2 offers arrive. Sensible modification frameworks could allow proportionate date adjustments by mutual consent preventing unnecessary project failures.
Recorded 12 November 2025
Our links:
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#67 Grid News and Views - Episode 14

Connectologists® Kyle, Catherine, and Philip are joined by Alex in her first Grid News & Views as a Connectologist®, covering Connections Reform developments, code modifications, and emerging challenges as Gate 2 offers approach.
Ofgem has confirmed a backstop-only role in disputes, meaning developers must now work through all NESO processes and arbitration before escalation—making a clear understanding of NESO’s complaint routes more important than ever.
Gate 2 pressures intensify:• Transmission decisions due by Dec 2025 (with some DNOs signalling delays), distribution by Q1 2026• Offer acceptance windows: 3 months for transmission, 4 weeks for distribution• Milestone guidance looks strict, though planning-related flexibility exists• A 6-month planning-to-construction window still overlooks financing and sales realities
Also in this episode:• Demand uncertainty: NESO’s RFI seeks sensitive commercial info without clarity on use; CMP417 delays to 2026 mean continued over-securitisation; TIA thresholds swing wildly from 1MW to 50MW across DNOs• SGT charging: DCP461 could see GSP reinforcement costs socialised via DUoS (consultation closes 28 Nov)• Operational risks: ANM schemes need clearer constraint rules, and abnormal network running continues to cause surprise curtailment with no mandatory DNO reporting
Our links:
Website: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/
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#66 Grid News and Views - Episode 13

Connectologists® Pete Aston and Kyle Murchie are back with the latest Grid News and Views! After a four-month break, they dive into the big changes shaping Britain's grid connections — from NESO's new Gate 2 timeline to long-awaited reforms in network charging.
They break down what the new Gate 2 process really means for developers: complex timelines, delayed offers, and growing uncertainty around project acceptance and design changes. Pete and Kyle also unpack the latest on connection charging — including DCP461 and CMP460, two major reforms aiming to fix how shared infrastructure costs are split across projects.
Plus, they tackle the UK's unexpected demand boom: data centres now make up most of the 100+ GW of new demand in the queue — more than Britain's entire current peak demand! What does this mean for future connections, system design, and government policy?
If you're working in energy, development, or infrastructure, this episode is your quick guide to the fast-moving world of grid connections and reform.
 
Our links:
Website: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/
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#65 Data Centre Realities with Alan Pritchard, FarrPoint

In this episode of the Connectology podcast, Connectologist® Pete Aston sits down with Alan Pritchard from FarrPoint to explore the booming world of data centres – the hidden infrastructure powering everything from cloud services to artificial intelligence.
Alan explains what data centres are, why they've suddenly become headline news, and how they've grown from anonymous grey boxes to critical national infrastructure. He shares insights into the sheer scale and cost of these projects – with a 100MW facility costing around £1 billion – and why the UK's total capacity is still just 1.5GW.
The episode covers:
Why London became the UK’s data centre hub, and how Ireland’s low-tax policy turned Dublin into Europe’s hotspot
The “three-legged stool” of land, power, and connectivity – with power the biggest challenge
How AI is driving unprecedented demand, with government-backed “AI growth zones” building sovereign digital capability
The future: renewable-powered facilities, new technologies, and the premium cost of sovereignty
Alongside this episode, we've released our Comprehensive Data Centre Report, which reveals that half of UK developers underestimate connection times by seven years — a gap that can make or break projects. The report also highlights barriers around grid access, energy pricing, and clean power investment.
👉 https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/powering-great-britains-data-centre-ambitions/
Whether you're an energy developer, tech insider, or simply curious about the digital engines behind your smartphone and streaming services, this episode offers a fascinating and timely look at the future of digital infrastructure.
 

#64 What power parks can solve, and how, with Mikey Clark, CEO, Relode

In this episode of the Connectology® podcast, we sit down with Mikey Clark, CEO of Relode Energy, to explore how the UK’s energy infrastructure must evolve to meet rising demand—from transport to ports to AI.
We unpack the idea of power parks and the practical steps needed to electrify hard-to-reach sectors.
Key Conversation Points:
Mikey’s journey from infrastructure projects to energy innovation
What power parks are and why they matter
How these hubs support:
Electric HGVs and fleet operators
Port decarbonisation 
High-demand users like AI and logistics firms
Bridging the gap between National Grid, industry, and regulators
Challenges in connecting to the grid—and how Reload solves them
If you're in energy, logistics, or infrastructure—or just curious how we’ll keep the lights on in a net-zero world—this episode offers real-world solutions and forward-thinking insight from someone building the future of energy.
Recorded 24 June 2025
Our links:
Website: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/
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#63 Questioning the caps and SSEP transparency with Ed Birkett, New Projects Director, Low Carbon

The UK’s grid is at breaking point. Thousands of energy projects are stuck in the queue, and many may never get built. In this episode of the Connectology® podcast, Ed Birkett from Low Carbon joins Kyle Murchie and Catherine Cleary to explain what’s going wrong—and what needs to change.
Together, they dive into the challenges facing the UK’s grid connection process, from overloaded queues to “zombie projects” that block real progress.
Key topics discussed includes:
• Why the grid queue is five times bigger than it needs to be
• The risks of relying too heavily on uncertain technologies like floating offshore wind
• Why project drop-out (attrition) is being ignored—and how that could derail 2030 clean power targets
• The need for public consultation and better data in future planning
• How co-locating solar and battery storage can ease pressure on the grid—but is being overlooked
Ed also sounds the alarm on how secretive and rushed decision-making could lead to poor outcomes—and why transparency is essential as we move toward the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone involved in renewable energy, policy, or planning in the UK!
Ed's LinkedIn post - what are the risks in NESO's reforms to the grid queue? https://www.linkedin.com/posts/edwardbirkett_lc-response-to-ofgem-connections-reform-m2-activity-7309878224090464257-Rk4j?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAABcpJLkBqpA9EUs8BicHQToAo6NV08hd4lU
 
Recorded 08 July 2025
Our links:
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#62 Super Grid Transformer Charging - #2 the full version

Super Grid Transformer (SGT) charging remains a critical but unresolved issue in the energy sector. The focus on Connections Reform meant progress on SGT charging stalled. Now that Connections Reform is taking shape, it’s time to turn attention back to this challenge.
To help move the conversation forward, we brought together a range of industry voices —Innova, Octopus Energy Generation, Centrica and Diageo — for a round-table discussion. Kyle Murchie and Pete Aston then spoke one-on-one with each participant about their experiences and ideas for solutions.
This longer podcast captures those in-depth conversations. If you’re looking for a shorter overview, visit our SGT charging highlights podcast.
The podcasts explore how today’s SGT charging framework affects project delivery, investor confidence, and the path to net zero. They also consider initial ideas for change — including greater transparency, clearer codification, and options like socialising costs.
 
 
Recorded 13 May 2025
 
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#61 Super Grid Transformer Charging - #1 the highlights

Super Grid Transformer (SGT) has been a hot topic for some time (indeed Roadnight Taylor issued an open letter to Ofgem in 2023) but the issue remains unresolved with progress stalled as the industry focused on delivering Connections Reform. With key aspects of that reform now in place, attention can return to SGT charging — an area that has seen little movement compared to other code modifications already underway.
There’s growing recognition that this gap needs addressing, especially as Ofgem and network operators are beginning to show renewed interest and propose solutions — though often from specific standpoints. As the issue becomes increasingly urgent, Roadnight Taylor hosted a round table of experts from across the energy and development sectors. Representatives from Innova, Octopus Energy Generation, Centrica and Diageo shared their experiences as various types of developers and connectees.
Rather than seeking to define a final solution, the roundtable aimed to generate informed discussion that could support future working groups. Following the session, Kyle Murchie and Pete Aston recorded individual interviews with each participant to explore their specific challenges and proposed solutions.
These conversations have been produced as two podcast episodes:
this highlights version and
an extended edition with deeper insights from each participant.
The podcasts discuss the current SGT charging arrangements, their impact on project viability, investment decisions, and decarbonisation goals. They also explore early ideas for reform, such as socialisation of costs, codification, and improved transparency. They aim to drive the conversation forward and build momentum toward establishing a formal working group that can deliver a fair, practical solution for SGT charging.
 
Recorded 13 May 2025
 
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#59 NESO's essentials for Gate 2 evidence success - Guest Series with Matt Vickers, Director of Connections Reform, NESO

Roadnight Taylor is delighted to welcome Matt Vickers, Director of Connections Reform at NESO, to this episode of the Connectology ® podcast!
Matt shares his experience from leading one of the biggest overhauls in the UK energy sector—fixing a broken grid connections system and tackling a huge project queue. With his background as an energy ombudsman, he brings a fresh perspective on the challenges and urgency of making change happen.
In this episode, Matt and the Connectologists® discuss:
Why the current system needs reform
What developers often get wrong in their submissions
How NESO is helping projects stay on track
Why early, accurate applications matter more than ever
And how all this ties into the UK’s clean energy goals for 2030
If you’re a developer, investor, or just following the energy transition, this is a must-listen. Matt offers practical advice, honest reflections, and a look at what’s next.
Recorded 30 June 2025
Our links:
Registration for the NESO portal run through on Friday 4 July 
Website: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/
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