The Electricity Network Connections (Designated Strategic Plans) Regulations 2026

Made: 4th March 2026

Laid before Parliament: 9th March 2026

Coming into force: 30th March 2026

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 165A(2) of the Energy Act 2023[^f00001].

Citation, commencement and extent

1

• (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Electricity Network Connections (Designated Strategic Plans) Regulations 2026 and come into force on 30th March 2026.

• (2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales and Scotland.

Designated Plan

2

The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan[^f00002], published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, is designated in accordance with section 165A(2) of the Energy Act 2023.

Signed

Michael Shanks — Minister for Energy — Department for Energy Security and Net Zero — 4th March 2026

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Explanatory Note

Under section 165A(1) of the Energy Act 2023 (“the 2023 Act”) the Independent System Operator and Planner (“ISOP”) must have regard to those plans or documents designated as strategic plans under section 165A(2) (“designated strategic plans”) when carrying out functions relating to network connections. The Secretary of State by notice designated the National Energy System Operator Limited as the ISOP with effect from 1st October 2024.

Under section 16(2A) of the Electricity Act 1989 (c. 29) (the “1989 Act”) when deciding how to comply with their duties under that section, and in particular in deciding how to prioritise persons requiring a connection, electricity distributors must have regard to designated strategic plans.

Under section 17 of the 1989 Act, electricity distributors are exempt from the duty to connect where this would not be in accordance with the designated strategic plans.

Regulation 2 designates the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan as a designated strategic plan. The plan, which sets out a pathway to a clean power system by 2030, was published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and comprises a main report and three annexes.

The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan has been produced in digital form only, however alternative, accessible formats can be obtained from alt.formats@energysecurity.gov.uk.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or business sectors is foreseen. An Explanatory Memorandum is published alongside these Regulations on www.legislation.gov.uk.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 2023 c. 52; section 165A was inserted by section 17 of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 (c. 34).

[^f00002]: The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan comprises four component parts: (1) Clean Power 2030 Action Plan: A new era of clean electricity - main report, and (2) Clean Power 2030 Action Plan: A new era of clean electricity – technical annex, both published on 13th December 2024; (3) Clean Power 2030 Action Plan: A new era of clean electricity – connections reform annex (updated April 2025), published on 7th April 2025, and (4) Clean Power 2030 Action Plan: A new era of clean electricity - assessment of the clean energy skills challenge - evidence annex, published on 13th December 2024 and updated on 25th March 2025 with an added Welsh translation. The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan can be obtained at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-power-2030-action-plan.