Today NESO, the National Energy System Operator, announced their plans for prioritising the queue for energy projects waiting for a grid connection. At present it is first-come-first-served and the wait for connection can be 10-15 years for projects.
The data they shared with the announcement show just how much battery storage is clogging up the system (see table below). Battery has 34.5GW lined up for connection by 2030 and 153GW is not prioritised. The technology with the next largest quantity not prioritised is solar with 36GW.
The massive over-provision of battery storage in the planning system was one of the key conclusions of our battery storage report which we launched last week. Our view is that this prioritisation system for grid connections is a step forward, but that our Planning System needs to catch up and ensure that National Planning Framework principles are followed and that we have a strategic spatial plan for consenting energy projects.
With so much energy in the planning system, and the grid queue so congested, we have the time to get this right – we need a spatial plan for energy to ensure the right installations are going in the right place and are able to be connected. Currently, developers can apply for planning permission for energy projects anywhere at all, with decision making not depending on how close to grid connections they are. And then the grid is supposed to come to them, no matter how remote they are from where the energy is needed.
Dr Kat Jones said:
“When we published our report last week and called for a moratorium on Battery storage projects because of overcapacity in the system, we didnt think the answer would come so quickly.
Now NESO have showed the extent of the clogging of the system with battery storage and issued moratorium on new battery storage entering their application pr0cess for grid connection, the Scottish Government needs to catch up and reform its planning processes.
We are in a situation of massive queues of 10-15 years for energy projects to be connected to the grid because there is absolutely no strategic planning for our energy installations.
“For example, in Scotland, there is three times as much battery storage with planning permission as is needed for a net zero energy grid, because every single large battery storage project is being consented, no matter whether they are on green belt or impact on communities and biodiversity.
“The move away from first-come-first served for a grid connection is a start. But the planning system also needs to move away from the current free-for-all which consents energy projects on a first-come-first served basis with no overall plan. We have the ludicrous situation that you can get planning permission for an energy project that is nowhere near a grid connection and the grid is then supposed to come to you. We need a planning system for energy which ensures we have the energy we need in the right places.”
“The current system of consenting every Battery Energy Storage System is not serving communities and it is certainly not serving the developers trying to get a connection with the electricity grid. We need a plan, this free-for-all in the planning system is delivering nothing but a race to the bottom.”
Information below from NESO announcement 8 December 2025
| Technology type | Prioritised for 2030 delivery | Prioritised for 2035 delivery | Gate 1 (not prioritised)* |
| Battery | 34.5 | 48.7 | 152.9 |
| Geothermal Power | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Interconnector | 3.6 | 9.7 | 1.2 |
| LDES | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.6 |
| Low Carbon Dispatchable Power | 3.3 | 9.7 | 0.0 |
| Non -GB Generation | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0.0 |
| Nuclear | 3.3 | 3.3 | 0.0 |
| Offshore Wind | 32.1 | 37.8 | 4.5 |
| Onshore Wind | 13.1 | 4.8 | 13.4 |
| Other | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reactive compensation | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Run-of River hydro | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Solar | 29.9 | 29.1 | 35.9 |
| Tidal | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Transmission Connected Demand | 11.8 | 86.7 | 0.0 |
| Unabated Gas | 4.2 | 1.8 | 3.8 |
| Wave | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
*These numbers do not include projects which self-selected to not be prioritised and those projects which did not apply to the connections reform process.
- Projects that enter the delivery pipeline will be offered Gate 2 connections agreements in two tranches, either to support delivery of electricity generation by 2030 (Phase 1) or by 2035 (Phase 2).
- Projects that are not required by either 2030 or 2035 will be offered Gate 1 connections agreements and will need to meet contractual obligations as well as set criteria to be considered in future to join the project pipeline (Gate 2).
- On 6th November NESO launched its Demand Queue Call for Input (CFI) https://www.neso.energy/industry-information/connections/demand-queue-call-input-cfi
- Also, on 6th November Ofgem launched its Demand Connection Guidance – https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/guidance/demand-connections-update.
- Guidance on how the connections process has been reformed and how projects will now be held accountable for their future delivery and continued progress are set out in NESO’s Connections Reform design documents and methodologies
- The next connections applications window will be held in the second half of 2026.
- Full details of the new connections project pipeline are published on NESO’s website here – https://www.neso.energy/industry-information/connections-reform/connections-reform-results
- The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero set out in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan (Table 1, page 32 – DESNZ ‘Clean Power Capacity Range’) that by 2030 Great Britain requires 204GW-231GW by 2030.
- The following tables set out details of the new Connections delivery pipeline by technology.