Correspondence: Connections Reform: delivery update and battery capacity

Joint update from DESNZ and Ofgem on connections reform delivery and the level of battery storage capacity in the reformed queue.

This is an open letter from Michael Shanks MP, Minister for Energy in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and Akshay Kaul, Director General for Infrastructure at Ofgem.

The letter sets out progress in delivering connections reform, acknowledges ongoing risks to delivery, and explains the actions being taken to mitigate these risks. It highlights the outcomes of the recent queue outcome exercise, including the high volume of battery storage projects progressing to Gate 2 relative to the capacity ranges set out in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.

The letter outlines ongoing work to assess the impacts of this relative surplus and reiterates the shared objective of ensuring the reforms minimise consumer costs and support the timely issuance of high‑quality connection offers in support of the government’s clean power and growth missions.