Morning, Monday, 1st June 2026
Online
The conference will examine next steps for upgrading the UK’s electricity grid. Areas for discussion include ways forward for enabling faster and more reliable connection of new generation, priorities for meeting evolving demand, storage needs, and supporting clean power targets and energy resilience objectives.
It is being organised as an opportunity for key stakeholders and policymakers to consider implications of recent and forthcoming planning reform for consenting, coordinating, and delivering grid infrastructure. This includes the updated National Policy Statements EN-1, EN-3, and EN-5, alongside revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework, and the shift to a First Ready, First Connected approach for connections, as well as the forthcoming spatial energy plans.
We also expect discussion on priorities for infrastructure delivery and connections in the context of Clean Power 2030 targets, drawing on key findings from the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee Delivering Great Britain’s electricity grid infrastructure 2025 report.
System readiness, capacity & addressing the backlog
The agenda will examine strategic options for clearing the connection queue backlog fairly, including how readiness and strategic alignment criteria should be applied across generation and demand. Delegates will consider issues around perceived fairness and approaches to maintaining transparency and accountability in queue management.
Implications of reforms to the Connections and Use of System Code for delivery will be assessed, alongside strategies for addressing network build, supply chain capacity, and skills constraints, as well as for avoiding delays shifting from connections to construction and delivery.
Market reform & policy alignment
Attendees will explore how forthcoming reform to market arrangements and network charging can best interact with grid planning and investment decisions, as well as the role of the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan and Regional Energy Strategic Plans in guiding network reinforcement, funding and investment options.
Discussion will also assess how contracted energy projects such as those supported through Contracts for Difference following Allocation Round 7 results and Ofgem’s Long Duration Energy Storage cap and floor scheme, can be aligned with connection capacity and infrastructure programmes such as the Great Grid Upgrade, Electricity Transmission Partnership, and the RIIO-T3 investment plan.
Coordination, meeting increasing demand & innovation
Further planned sessions will consider approaches to timely coordination between delivery bodies while strengthening resilience and protecting asset quality - looking forward towards the Energy Resilience Strategy and preparation for rising electricity demand from electrification and data centres. Delegates will also consider the way forward for innovation in grid management, including the use of AI, following the Technology Adoption Review and in anticipation of the review of AI deployment in electricity networks expected this summer.
Overview of areas for discussion
- policy:
- National Policy Statements EN-1, EN-3, and EN-5 - NSIP decisions - aligning consents with Clean Power 2030
- Industrial Strategy Clean Energy Sector Plan objectives - findings of the Technology Adoption Review for Clean Energy Industries
- connections reform:
- applying First Ready, First Connected approach - readiness, strategic value, and fairness
- transparency and dispute resolution - coordinating generation, storage, and major demand connections
- investment: delivery of RIIO-T3 priorities - Electricity Transmission Partnership incentives - Ofgem’s Grid Adoption Fund - supply chain capacity - delivery assurance and performance management
- spatial planning: the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan - integrating Regional Energy Spatial Plans into investment - linkage with NPS requirements - governance, data, and modelling responsibilities
- market reform:
- implications of the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements - interaction with locational signals and network charging
- effects on siting and investment decisions - maintaining market confidence and consumer protections
- delivery: priorities within the Great Grid Upgrade - sequencing lines, substations, and reinforcements - managing construction logistics and outages - local impacts and environmental mitigation
- resilience: Energy Resilience Strategy priorities - asset quality and maintenance - planning for disruption risks and recovery - preparing for rising demand from data centres and electrification
- innovation: scope of the AI deployment review - use cases for planning and asset monitoring - data governance and cyber resilience - workforce skills and procurement approaches
