“But we should be clear-eyed about the delivery challenge. Under the old ‘first come’ regime, the queue swelled to 5,000+ projects representing up to 700 GW – far beyond what the system could connect. That’s why reform matters: a further 151 GW has been identified as essential for 2035 – the equivalent to powering around 1.5 million fast EV chargers – and delivery now needs to match that scale.
“Demand is rising too: nearly 100 GW of new or expanded demand connections (industrial and business users) are coming through – driving economic growth, electrification, and re-industrialisation. We now have proof that Gate 2 is already being treated as investable: a recent survey that we conducted of 800 UK developers and investors found that 68% of decision makers view the reform as an opportunity, and 74% expect faster connections as a result of it. Yet it’s a double-edged sword: 46% fear a two-tier market could be created that favours the biggest balance sheets, and 44% say high connection or reinforcement costs could still kill otherwise viable projects.
“The industry is ready to build – 60% have £50m–£250m committed for infrastructure requiring a 2026 connection – yet 33% already expect meaningful project drop-outs through the process. 60% say a 12-month slip adds up to 15% in costs per project, whilst 80% warn supply chain constraints could still knock timelines off course. The NESO reform is a vital reset – now we need the delivery system and supply chain to match the scale of Britain’s ambition.” - Jamie McAinsh, Chief Commercial Officer of Aurora Utilities, the Independent Distribution Network Operator.
