When NESO published the results of the Connections Reform process in December 2025, confirming a new pipeline of 283GW of prioritised projects, it marked the single most significant structural change to UK grid connection in a generation. Projects were categorised into Gate 2 Phase 1 (targeting connection by 2030), Gate 2 Phase 2 (targeting 2035), and Gate 1 for those that did not meet the strategic alignment criteria. Connection offers were expected to follow quickly. They have not.
Why the timetable slipped
In January 2026, NESO and the network operators confirmed that issuing connection offers would take longer than originally planned. The reasons were technical: in a number of locations, the volume of Gate 2 projects was higher than forecast, requiring new background assumptions to be established before engineering studies could be completed. Network companies needed time to rerun studies before offers could be issued reliably. The revised timetable published in February 2026 reflects those realities.
The current schedule, updated in April 2026, is as follows. Protected transmission and large embedded connections with 2026 to 2027 dates were due between mid-February and mid-April 2026. Protected distribution offers are running from early March to the end of May 2026. Gate 2 Phase 1 transmission offers are scheduled between mid-May and mid-September 2026. Gate 2 Phase 1 distribution offers follow between early July and mid-November. Phase 2 offers, for both transmission and distribution, run from September 2026 through to March 2027. The next new applications window will open in the second half of 2026, with no earlier than date currently confirmed.
What this means in practice
For developers with projects in the Gate 2 Phase 1 pipeline, the key implication is that connection offer dates are moving later than many had modelled. Projects that assumed a connection offer in Q1 2026 are now looking at Q3 or Q4 in the best case. That has knock-on effects for programme, financing, and in some cases for land option renewals tied to connection milestones.
For projects in Phase 2, the offer window extends well into early 2027. Developers in this group have more time to progress their planning and land position, but also face a longer period of uncertainty over the precise connection terms they will be offered.
Gate 1 projects face a different challenge. They are outside the priority pipeline for both 2030 and 2035, and will need to demonstrate readiness and strategic alignment at a future assessment point to be considered for Gate 2. The criteria for that process have not yet been finalised.
What developers should do now
The first priority is to understand clearly which category your project sits in and what the specific offer timeline is. NESO has published dashboard updates, and the network operators are the primary point of contact for distribution-connected projects. If your project is in the Gate 2 pipeline, use the time before your offer arrives to progress planning, confirm land control documentation, and review financing assumptions against the revised programme.
If you are uncertain about your project’s position or want an independent review of how the Connections Reform outcome affects your development programme, CPP can help. Contact us at info@cpp.consulting.