National Grid calls for planning reform

National Grid has called for an overhaul of planning rules, saying it is not to blame for long delays connecting power projects to Britain’s electricity network. The FTSE 100 company insists it is simply following rules set by Ofgem and urged the regulator to speed up a proposed overhaul. National Grid’s electricity system operator division is responsible for managing connections to Britain’s high-voltage electricity transmission network, awarding agreements on a “first-come, first-served basis”. It has come under fire as a huge queue of projects has built up, including many “zombie” or speculative proposals, leaving developers with wind, solar and battery projects facing delays of as much as a decade to plug into the grid. Ofgem said this week the queuing system “no longer makes sense” and threatened to intervene within two years if National Grid did not make sufficient progress. National Grid’s chief executive John Pettigrew said it actively wanted intervention as its hands were tied by the “first-come, first-served service”. He added: “On planning, the current consenting process for major energy projects needs to be shortened.” The Times (£)The FT (£)The Guardian