The Northern Ireland energy system is at a transformational juncture. In December 2021, the Department for the Economy published its Energy Strategy for Northern Ireland, setting a long-term vision of ‘net zero carbon and affordable energy’ by 2050. Subsequently, the Climate Change Act was passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2022. The Climate Change Act makes a legal commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. It also commits to 80% of electricity consumption coming from renewable sources by 2030. NIE Networks as facilitators of the Climate Change Act, regularly publish consultation and decision papers relating to generation applications on this page aiming to achieve renewable policy targets in the most economical and efficient manner.
NIE Networks launched a consultation on the 31st of March 2023 to gain feedback from stakeholders on a proposal to amend existing distribution connection offer policy for exporting small scale generators with a registered capacity of less than 5MW (SSG). The consultation closed on Friday the 19th of May 2023. The responses were analysed and used in the development of a decision paper that has now been published including the new connection process go-live date. The decision paper can be viewed at the link below.
View SSG Export Decision Paper
Additionally, on the 2nd of June 2023, NIE Networks and SONI published a joint consultation to gain holistic stakeholders’ perspectives and opinions on proposals to remove the existing 120% Over Install limit at a single connection point. The Over Install consultation subsequently closed on the 21st of July 2023. A decision paper on the Over Install consultation has now been published including the updated Over Install arrangements go-live date. The Over Install decision paper can also be viewed below.
View Over Install Decision Paper
NIE Networks has updated SSG Distribution Connection Offer and Agreements to include edited wording that permits control requirements to be utilised for system security reasons. This updated clause will be in Distribution Connection Offer and Agreements that arise from applications received after the go-live date of Tuesday the 7th of November 2023 at 10:00am. In addition to this, updated Over Install arrangements as detailed in the Over Install decision paper will apply to Connection Offer and Agreements that arise from applications received after the go-live date of 7th November 2023 at 10:00am for distribution connections.
The decision has been made to align the go-live dates of these two overlapping consultation processes in an effort to ease the complexity of applications that wish to avail of both changes.
NIE Networks welcomes the level of engagement received from all sections of industry throughout both of these important industry consultations. This engagement has provided helpful insight into stakeholder views on the topics raised in the consultations and has influenced the decisions presented within the decision papers.
Please see below a number of recent consultation documents relating to generation applications. To keep up to date with any generation consultations, updates regarding renewable levels connected and committed, cluster updates and other generation related updates please sign up to our mailing list below.
Due to the amendment to the existing distribution connection offer policy for generation connections <5MW and proposals to amend the existing Over Install arrangements due to come into effect at 10am on Tuesday November 7th 2023 there will be some temporary changes to facilitate the expected volume of applications. Please see guidance document below.
View November 7th Guidelines
For all other queries please contact connectiondesign@nienetworks.co.uk.
Timeline Of Related Documentation
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