Vattenfall IDNO has launched a new grid consultancy aimed at tackling one of the most pressing issues in UK development: delays and uncertainty in securing viable grid connections. The Simple Grid Consultancy service is designed for developers of sub-2MVA projects who need fast, credible answers to critical questions about power availability, grid viability, and likely connection costs. It offers access to Vattenfall’s in-house team of grid specialists, who guide clients through feasibility studies, Point of Connection applications, cable routes, mini-tenders for contestable works, and legal support for land rights, all designed to reduce risk and remove friction from the process.
The launch comes at a time when access to electricity is emerging as the main issue delaying UK construction projects. According to Turner & Townsend’s latest report, grid delays are now on par with planning as a leading risk, with councils in some areas already reporting stalled developments owing to local capacity shortages.
The UK’s total electricity demand is expected to rise by 50% in just ten years and double by 2050, driven in part by the rapid growth of energy-intensive data centres. With developers now facing waits of several years for new connections, early-stage grid insight and support has never been more critical.
A key part of the offer is Vattenfall’s Grid Capacity Insights Platform, which provides developers with detailed visibility into grid availability, constraints, and likely reinforcement needs across different voltage levels and locations. By using the platform to identify an optimal Point of Connection (PoC) before applying to the DNO, Vattenfall’s service significantly improves the likelihood of successful applications and helps avoid unnecessary costs and delays. Turner & Townsend’s report highlights that “in key regions, delays in securing grid connections are now a real and growing threat to project timelines […] the cost and availability of power can outweigh traditional development hurdles, early-stage planning must prioritise electricity access as a strategic priority.”
• Vattenfall has already had some success in the UK, when as a result of taking up a grid connection contract for a major student housing development in the city of Bath the price for the necessary grid connection came in at a 95% lower figure than that quoted by the local Distribution Network Operator.
