Summary and Background
438.Electricity generators (including new renewable energy generators) are facing significant delays in obtaining access to the transmission system and the system is not being used as efficiently as possible. The backlog of generators waiting for a connection date is affecting Great Britain’s ability to meet security of supply concerns and sustainability targets including the 2020 renewable energy targets set by Europe. There is currently in excess of 45GW of new generating capacity in the transmission grid access queue (compared to around 80GW already connected) with some generators being informed that they must wait until 2022 for connection to the transmission system.
439.The Government has been undertaking work to address these problems. The 2007 Energy White Paper committed the Government and the Authority to consider these issues in a review of transmission access. The final report of the Transmission Access Review was published in June 2008. It concluded that there was a need for significant reform of the licence conditions and industry codes which set the framework for the running of the transmission system by National Grid in Great Britain.(5) The main industry code which regulates access to the transmission network is the Connection and Use of System Code (CUSC) and at present it does not facilitate timely access to the network. The Security and Quality of Supply Standard (SQSS) and CUSC together regulate the planning and operation of the transmission system and at present do not ensure efficient use of the system.(6)
440.As a result of the Transmission Access Review report, industry has been tasked with developing proposals to reform industry codes to improve the allocation of access rights and the efficient use of the network. The current aim is for the changes to be implemented from April 2009, with some of the more complex reforms being made from April 2010.
441.Due to the importance of these negotiations being completed in a timely manner, the Government made clear in the Transmission Access Review report that if Industry and the Authority did not make sufficient progress by the end of the year then Government would “consider options for wider reform (including legislation) to bring about the necessary changes in the context of its Renewable Energy Strategy and wider energy policy goals”. The following sections provide the Secretary of State with powers to amend the appropriate licences and industry codes should the industry process fail.
Note that there are no significant problems in terms of physical connection to the network i.e. connecting a line between a wind farm and the grid, the problems instead relate to getting the subsequent commercial right to access and use the transmission network from National Grid.