Crackdown on ‘phantom’ power grid connections stalls

A CRACKDOWN on “phantom” energy projects meant to cut the decade-long wait for grid connections has stalled after a surge in applications from speculators made the queue even longer.

Ofgem, the energy regulator, this week pledged to make it tougher to register to connect to the electricity grid after efforts to shorten wait times by removing projects from the queue were bogged down in legal threats.

Ofgem and ESO, the UK’S Electricity System Operator, pledged to tackle long wait times last autumn by booting out unrealistic and speculative projects.

The organisations promised to remove potentially hundreds of projects in an effort to cut waiting times as long as 13 years in many cases.

However, dozens more applications have joined the register since the crackdown was announced. ESO said this week it was receiving an average of 80 new applications a month.

Ofgem and ESO have also struggled to remove projects. Many developers have threatened legal action, meaning it will take until at least the autumn for the first removals.

Developers’ attempts to game the system have infuriated Jonathan Brearley, chief executive of Ofgem. This week he announced a second crackdown.

He said: “We want to raise the threshold so that under-developed projects with no planning permission or land rights – including some who have not even spoken to landowners about building on their land – will not be allowed to join the queue and then block the progress of more viable projects behind them.”

Mr Brearley is writing to developers warning them it plans to bring in the new rules within 12 weeks.

Julian Leslie, ESO’S chief engineer, said: “Our new reformed process will prioritise the connection of viable projects, reduce times to connect for new and existing projects, deliver greater benefits for consumers and speed up the delivery of the energy mix required to meet net zero. The ESO will be uncompromising in our approach.”