Insight alert: UK grid connections reform – More changes ahead for data centres and electricity demand connections

Reforms have been proposed which signal the next step in Great Britain's (GB) evolving connections reform process and a more interventionist and strategic approach to demand connections. More proposals are expected in the second half of the year. The first phase of connections reform placed more focus on electricity generation and storage but attention is turning to the demand connections queue, particularly given the rapid growth in connection applications for large demand projects such as data centres. If implemented, the reforms can be expected to have significant impacts for projects seeking an import connection from the grid and offer new opportunities for investors in grid solutions. In this article, we unpack the proposed reforms and what they could mean in practice.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), in its accelerating electricity network connections for strategic demand consultation published on 11 March 2026 (the DESNZ Consultation), and Ofgem, in its Demand Connections Reform Call for Input issued on 13 February 2026 (the Ofgem CfI), have outlined a programme of demand connections reform. On 16 June 2026, Ofgem published both a Summary of Responses, which sets out its initial positions on certain proposals made in the Ofgem CFI (the Ofgem SoR), and an update on the "Connect" pillar of demand connections reform (the Ofgem Connect Update). 

Read the full UK grid connections reform article