Connecting data centres and other large users of energy to the grid is fast becoming one of the most critical challenges to economic growth in the UK.
This has been acknowledged by both regulator Ofgem and the British government with recent consultations on reforming the queue to connect demand customers to the grid. There is a consensus that action is needed, with the number of demand connection requests more than tripling in just a few months last year.
But it is less clear what the ideal solutions are.
In a new snap poll, Utility Week and Accenture want to hear the views of demand customers on this vital issue.
Our survey looks at the current state of play for demand customers – how transparent the process is and how satisfied customers are with the service from energy networks.
We gauge appetite on some of the suggestions emerging from Ofgem and government’s consultations. They suggest various options, including stricter requirements for entry to the queue and options to prioritise “government identified strategic demand projects”.
The survey also looks at the approaches being taken by electricity networks, who are already experimenting with novel connection offers, such as those that offer a phased path towards the maximum load sought or flex the amount sought over time.
Utility Week editor-in-chief James Wallin said: “There is no doubt that the development of data centres across the UK will play a significant role in driving wider economic growth. The energy sector stands ready to play its part in this new industrial revolution. But this transition also brings uncertainty about how this flurry of demand connection requests will be managed.
“We strongly believe it’s vital that the voice of the demand customer is at the heart of any reforms being planned.
“To that end, we would like to ask for five minutes of your time to fill in the poll below. We will be feeding back the anonymised results to networks to help them build out their suite of solutions for demand connections.”
Please fill out the survey.
