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Breadcrumb

  • Network Options Assessment (NOA)

Network Development Roadmap

In May 2018 we set out our plans to transform our network planning to drive even great value for consumers. Our proposals were set out in our Network Development Roadmap consultation and subsequent conclusions document.

In January 2020 we published an update on our overall ambition, our progress against our original proposals, and our next steps.

Our overall aim is to:

  • drive greater consumer value by considering a range of solutions, from different providers, to identify the best ways to meet transmission network needs.
  • enhance our analytical capabilities to ensure we plan the right level of investment for an increasingly complex network. 

We will continue to work closely with stakeholders as we progress this transformation. A summary of feedback from our Commercial Providers Event in May 2019 can be found here. 


 

 

Network Development Latest News

Constraint Management Pathfinder Update: 

22 Dec 2020 - Following our announcement on the decision to tender at the end of Q2 2020, we are publishing the information about the post fault generation turn down/demand turn up service below. We have included an overview of the service, requirements and a timeline to provide more information on the service. 

Click here to the details of the service

Stability Pathfinder Update: 

18 Dec 2020 - We have published an update to the FAQs for Phase 2 with our responses following the recent publication of the EOI. This includes questions received in all the webinars held to date. We are also sharing recordings of these webinars below.

In the EOI pack, we are including an update to the Assessment Methodology and feedback is welcome on this until 5pm on 22 Jan 2021.

The Expression of Interest for Phase 2 closes on 8 Jan 2021 and a submission to this EOI is required to participate in the later stages of Phase 2.

Click here to view the contract terms consultation

Click here to view the latest FAQ

Click here to view the EOI Overview Webinar

Click here to view the Technical Overview Webinar

Click here to view the Assessment Webinar

Click here to view the Contract Terms Webinar

Click here to view the EOI

Voltage Pathfinder Update:

29 Jan 2021 - see our latest update on our new pathfinder webpage https://www.nationalgrideso.com/future-of-energy/projects/pathfinders/high-voltage/Pennines

11 Dec 2020 - We have published an update to the tender results following discussions with a successful party. We have also published the lessons learnt report which covers the whole Mersey pathfinder process and the tender results update.

Click here to download the lessons learnt report

Pathfinding projects

High voltage pathfinding projects

Changes in the energy system over the last decade have resulted in managing system voltages becoming an area of increasing challenge for the Electricity System Operator (ESO). We have seen a continual decrease in both minimum demand and reactive power consumption on distribution networks, resulting in an increasing need to absorb more reactive power on the transmission network. As a first step to developing a regional options assessment process for voltage requirements, these projects focus only on high voltage system issues.

To find the most cost effective solutions to these new challenges, we are going beyond the traditional approaches of looking only at transmission based solutions. We believe greater value for consumers can be achieved by looking also at distribution and market based solutions. 

Through our pathfinding projects we're working with TOs, DNOs and service providers to establish methods to identify the most cost effective approach to addressing these issues. 

Following the completion of the Mersey pathfinder tender for 2022-2031, we have published our lessons learnt report.

See our latest update on our new pathfinder webpage - https://www.nationalgrideso.com/future-of-energy/projects/pathfinders/high-voltage/Pennines 


Constraint management pathfinding project

We are exploring the potential to introduce a product that will provide an opportunity for market participants to deliver a service that reduces constraint costs on the National Electricity Transmission System. 

This NOA Pathfinder project is aiming to help mitigate the consequences of unplanned events once they take place (post-fault constraint management services) which could help reduce the need for build solutions.

 

We are pleased to announce that we intend to tender for the NOA Constraint Management Pathfinder (CMP) following the Request for Information (RFI) we conducted in February 2020. 

We have identified a wide range of different ways participants could provide this solution and determined that the best course of action for the first tender is to focus on short term issues. We will do this by looking at participants that are already connected to the transmission system and apply the results of the RFI in a different approach to resolve network constraints.

The design of the service that we intend to tender for will differ from what we proposed in the RFI in that it will be a generator turn down/demand turn up service from transmission connected solutions within the constraint boundary north of B6 (Scotland England border). We intend to run annual tenders for this service where we will aim to expand the range of providers and technologies that could offer this service. 

Over the coming weeks, we will provide further details on the service design, how participants will be able to take part and a timeline of the overall process.


Stability pathfinding project

We also want to explore the benefits and practicalities of applying a NOA-type approach to the operability aspects of system stability. In this context we are talking about stability of frequency, voltage and the ability of a network user to remain connected to the system during normal operation, during a fault and after a fault. Synchronous generation provides many benefits to system stability that will need to be replaced when this type of generation runs less frequently.

We are exploring how to articulate and quantify the properties synchronous generation gives us, the potential for these to be provided by alternative technologies, and the value of a NOA type process for stability. We published some of our work on the impact of declining short circuit levels in our System Operability Framework (SOF) document, and during 2019 we intend to invite technical and commercial solutions from across the industry to address needs in specific locations.


Probabilistic approach 

The changing nature of the electricity system means that it is increasingly important that we study the system needs across more of the year than our current focus of winter peak. In the future, a probabilistic approach could allow us to pinpoint specific issues down to circuit level so that the most cost-effective, whole system solution, can be identified. We are set out our emerging findings on this in the Electricity Ten Year Statement .

Further to this, we have published the findings from our case study. We’ve developed a probabilistic transmission network planning tool and analysis methodology, and tested it on a part of the south-east coast of England’s transmission network. While we’re still developing this methodology, to allow for a greater assessment of the GB transmission needs, our case study has shown that we can identify more thermal transmission needs. We’re also able to better understand the extent to which future generation mix changes will present new challenges on the network, giving us insight on how we can deal with them. This work presents a step forward from our current planning methodology.

We invite your views and feedback on our probabilistic planning methodology’s development. 


Early Competition Plan

Ofgem has asked the ESO to develop proposals for how early models of competition for onshore transmission (including 'CATO' options) could be introduced - see their request here. On 19 February we published an update on phase 1 of this project, along with supporting appendicies (model development slides and case studies). Phase 1 was developed following stakeholder webinars and workshops. Material from these are below:

  • Introductory webinar Slides and a video  - 12 September 
  • workshop 1 - 26 September.
  • workshop 2 -  22 October 
  • workshop 3 - 12 November

Over the next year we intend to have a high level of stakeholder engagement, including the following activities:

  • stakeholder workshops in April/May
  • a consultation in June/July 
  • subsequent engagement on specific issues during the summer/autumn
  • final consultation in November/December

On the 3 March we held our Phase 1 Update webinar. To view the webinar please click here.

We have a dedicated distribution list for this project - sign up here. General updates on this project are included in our monthly Network Development Roadmap monthly newsletters.

Other developments

Other projects are also underway looking at more immediate needs and will provide insight for our network development planning. For example, Power Potential assesses the use of distributed resources to address voltage challenges in the South East, and the Phoenix project will assess the potential for hybrid synchronous compensation to provide voltage and system stability. We will feed the learning from these projects into how we develop our network planning tools and processes.

 

Early Competition Plan

General updates on this project are included in our NOA roadmap distribtution list. However, we also have a dedicated distribution list for greater detail.

Sign up for Early Competition Mailing list here

Key information and dates for regional assessments:

Voltage pathfinders (Pennines, Mersey)

Phase 1: Findings from work as part of a case study with the ENA looking at utilising distribution solutions has been published on the ENA website

Phase 2: We launched our first RFI for Mersey region and published Slides and Q&A (updated 22 May) from our 1 May Q&A webinar.

Phase 3: Following evaluation of the RFI feedback we confirmed our intention to run a tender in the Autumn.

Phase 4: We launched a tenderfor long-term voltage support in Mersey. (We also launched a tender for near-term voltage support in Mersey. Results of this tender have been published.)

Phase 5: We will update on our intentions for a Pennine Pathfinder after considering learnings from the Mersey tender. We published our lessons learnt report on 11 December 2020.

The next voltage NOA Pathfinder tender, targeting the Pennine area has been delayed. This was originally expected to be launched in w/b 30 November and a further update will now be given in January 2021. This delay will allow additional time to qualify the requirements for what is a complex region to model with a high level of interactivity across sub-regions. We will also be seeking to simplify what we are asking for as well as provide additional site-specific information for network owners in line with lessons learned from the Mersey event. We are also clarifying some questions about TO interaction and participation as well as some wider strategic challenges that the NOA Pathfinder process has identified as a result of the “learn by doing” approach that we have adopted.


Constraint management pathfinding project

Phase 1: On 13 May we held a stakeholder engagement webinar to discuss how we can set out our requirements and recommendations in such a way that they can be easily interpreted. Webinar slides are available here and along with FAQs (5 June update), which will be updated periodically.

Phase 2: In December we launched an RFI on constraint management

Phase 3: Subject to the RFI outcome, we will announce a decision to tender for constraint management (Q2 2020/21)

Phase 4: Design and run a tender in FY 2021/22


Stability pathfinder 

Work on the impact of declining short circuit levels has been published on our System Operability Framework (SOF) page.

Phase 1: The results from Phase 1 can be found here. 

Phase 2: We launched the EOI for Phase 2 through which we are seeking proposals that will support grid stability in Scotland. The latest FAQ pack can be found here as well as recordings of the EOI Overview and Technical Overview webinars.

The RFI pack can be found here and we held a webinar on 25th June 2020 to go through the RFI. Webinar slides and the recording are now available here with the FAQ available here. Our feedback to the RFI response can be found here.
An updated SCL effectiveness file can be found here.


Probabilistic Analysis

  • Emerging findings were published in ETYS 2018
  • Outcomes of case studies have now been published
  • ETYS 2019included studies for additional boundaries.

Network Development Roadmap consultation responses

We held the consultation for Network Development Roadmap between 3 May and 15 June 2018.  We are grateful for the feedback you gave and for agreement to publish the responses below.

Name Sort descending
Electricity North West
Innogy
National Grid Electricity Transmission
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks
SP Transmission
Storelectric
Western Power Distribution
7
High voltage pathfinding projectsConstraint management pathfinding projectStability pathfinding projectProbabilistic approach Early Competition Plan

High voltage pathfinding projects

Name
Mersey Long Term RFI Interactive Guidance
Mersey Long Term RFI Interactive Guidance - proforma
Mersey Tender Proforma revised
Mersey Long Term Reactive Power Service RFI - 1 May Webinar
Mersey Long Term Reactive Power RFI - FAQ - UPDATED 22 May
Mersey High Voltage Summary of RFI responses June 2019
Mersey Tender Results
Decision letter to tender for long term reactive services in Mersey area June 2019
NGET letter for addressing perceived conflict of interest for long-term Mersey tender analysis
Mersey Reactive Service Tender Results Table 2022-31 - Revised
Mersey Reactive Service Tender - Lessons Learnt
11

Constraint management pathfinding project

Name
Constraint Management Pathfinder RFI pack
Constraint Management - Attachment 3 Feedback Template
Constraint Management Pathfinding FAQ
Constraint Management Pathfinding Webinar Slides
4

Stability pathfinding project

Name
Stability Pathfinder RFI Pack
Stability Pathfinder QandA - 28 Aug Update
Stability Pathfinder RFI Webinar Slides 6th Aug 2019
Stability Pathfinder RFI Technical Webinar Slides 14 Aug 2019
Stability pathfinder technical webinar recording 14 Aug
Stability Pathfinder Phase One Outline Plan
Stability Phase One Assessment Principles
Stability Pathfinder RFI Feedback
8

Probabilistic approach

Name
Year-round probabilistic thermal analysis
1

Early Competition Plan

Name
Introductory webinar 12 Sept
Early Competition Plan - introductory webinar 12 September
workshop 2 slides
Workshop 3 slides - 12 November
workshop 1 slides - 26 Sept
EPC Case Studies - FTI report
EPC phase 1 model development
Early Competition Plan Phase 1 Update
Early Competition Plan Phase 1 Update Slidepack
9
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