The grid connection queue is the line of projects, such as solar farms, wind farms, batteries and large electricity users, that have applied to connect to Great Britain’s electricity network and are waiting for a connection date. A project cannot export or import power until the network operator has the capacity ready, and that often depends on new substations or lines being built first.
Why the queue became a problem
Until the recent reform, connections were handled on a first-come, first-served basis. Applying was cheap, so many speculative projects joined and held their place without being ready to build. According to the National Energy System Operator (NESO), the transmission queue grew tenfold in five years to more than 700 GW, about four times the capacity Great Britain is projected to need by 2030. Projects that were ready to build were stuck behind ones that might never go ahead.
The Gate 2 reform
The reformed process, approved by Ofgem, replaces first-come, first-served with two tests:
| Test | What it checks |
|---|---|
| Readiness | Whether the project has secured the rights to the land it needs |
| Strategic alignment | Whether the project fits the technology and regional mix in the government’s Clean Power 2030 plan |
Projects that pass both receive a “Gate 2” offer with a firm connection date. In December 2025 NESO confirmed a reformed pipeline of 283 GW of generation and storage, plus 99 GW of transmission-connected demand. Projects that did not make the cut can reapply in later rounds.
Where it stands
Issuing the new offers has taken longer than planned. Ofgem has twice extended the deadline for the first phase of offers, most recently to 31 October 2026, and second-phase offers are due by 31 January 2027. A firm connection date matters because developers usually need one before they can raise finance.
Read more: Ofgem gives NESO another month to issue Gate 2 grid connection offers.