The UK grid connection queue has been one of the biggest constraints on renewable energy deployment over the past five years. At its peak, projects were waiting up to 15 years for a connection, with the combined queue representing many times the total installed capacity of the UK power system. The introduction of the Gate 2 process by Ofgem and National Grid ESO recently, and its subsequent reform recently, has fundamentally changed how developers must approach grid connection.
What is Gate 2?
Gate 2 is the second of three stages in the revised connection process introduced under the Connections Action Plan. At Gate 2, a developer must provide evidence that their project is genuinely ready to progress — including site control, planning consent or a credible planning programme, and demonstration of financial commitment. Projects that cannot satisfy Gate 2 requirements are removed from the queue.
The intention is to eliminate speculative applications — projects entered into the queue with no realistic prospect of delivery — that were clogging the system and preventing genuinely ready projects from connecting.
What has changed recently?
The recent reforms strengthened the Gate 2 requirements in several important respects. Developers must now demonstrate:
- Full site control (option agreement, lease or freehold) covering the entire project area
- A valid planning consent or a submitted planning application with a credible timetable to consent
- Evidence of project financing or a credible financing plan supported by a named institution
- Completed ecological and environmental surveys at the level required to support a planning application
These are materially more demanding than the original Gate 2 criteria, and a significant number of projects that cleared the initial Gate 2 recently will face challenges meeting the revised 2025 criteria at the Gate 2 review point.
What does this mean for solar and BESS developers?
For developers with genuinely advanced projects, the reforms are welcome — they improve queue position and reduce the risk of being delayed by speculative projects ahead of them. For developers who entered the queue early but have not progressed their projects, the reforms represent a serious challenge.
The most important implication for developers is the need to genuinely align the grid connection programme with the planning programme. A planning consent or credible planning timetable is now a Gate 2 requirement, not an optional extra. Developers who have historically treated the grid connection as a parallel, largely independent track need to integrate it with the planning programme from the outset.
Our experience
At CPP, our team has hands-on experience navigating Gate 2 across multiple projects in the all major DNO regions areas. Our team has spoken at major industry events on Gate 2 processes and has supported clients through the Gate 2 requirements, including negotiating connection agreements, coordinating with DNO teams, and preparing the documentary evidence required at Gate 2 review.
The Gate 2 reforms are ultimately good for the industry. They create a faster, more predictable connection process for projects that are genuinely ready. The challenge is that “genuinely ready” now means something much more demanding than it did even two years ago.
What should developers do now?
If you have a project in the grid connection queue, we recommend a prompt review of your Gate 2 position against the recent criteria. Key actions include: confirming that your site control documentation covers the full project boundary; reviewing your planning timetable and confirming it will support your Gate 2 review date; and engaging early with your DNO to understand the likely connection offer terms.
If you would like to discuss your project, our team is happy to provide an initial consultation. Contact us at info@cpp.consulting.