The GB grid connection queue: what the TEC register shows
NESO's TEC register lists 1,841 unbuilt entries totalling 604.1 GW (register file of 16 October 2026). 82% of that capacity is at Scoping. NESO's reformed Gate 2 pipeline is 283 GW of generation and storage.
Data as of 16 October 2026. Built only from public data and our published method. Information only, not advice.
By project status
The register's own status field shows how far each entry has progressed. 82% of unbuilt capacity is at Scoping, the earliest stage.
| Project status | Entries | Capacity (GW) | Share of unbuilt capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoping | 1,414 | 494.4 | 82% |
| Awaiting Consents | 171 | 57.4 | 10% |
| Consents Approved | 213 | 45.0 | 7% |
| Under Construction/Commissioning | 43 | 7.3 | 1% |
A further 385 entries (2.9 GW) carry the status Built while still holding a future capacity change.
By technology
| Technology | Entries | Capacity (GW) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery storage | 734 | 189.1 |
| Solar | 526 | 186.1 |
| Offshore wind | 108 | 96.8 |
| Onshore wind | 380 | 53.1 |
| Gas | 27 | 39.4 |
| Nuclear | 22 | 23.7 |
| Other | 24 | 9.7 |
| Bioenergy & waste | 8 | 4.4 |
| Hydro & pumped storage | 5 | 1.4 |
| Marine | 7 | 0.4 |
By transmission owner area
Past connection date means an unbuilt entry whose connection date is more than 30 days before the register date; across Great Britain that is 82 entries (10.3 GW).
| Transmission owner area | Entries | Capacity (GW) | At Scoping (GW) | Past connection date (GW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales (NGET area) | 1,103 | 449.1 | 367.9 | 6.6 |
| South Scotland (SPT area) | 382 | 73.2 | 59.3 | 3.1 |
| North Scotland (SHET area) | 356 | 81.8 | 67.2 | 0.6 |
By contracted connection year
The year in each entry's “MW Effective From” date, as contracted. It is not an estimate of when projects connect.
| Contracted connection year | Capacity (GW) |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 0.4 |
| 2022 | 0.1 |
| 2023 | 0.3 |
| 2024 | 1.2 |
| 2025 | 3.2 |
| 2026 | 12.4 |
| 2027 | 16.6 |
| 2028 | 34.0 |
| 2029 | 45.5 |
| 2030 | 35.4 |
| 2031 | 54.1 |
| 2032 | 31.6 |
| 2033 | 83.1 |
| 2034 | 71.9 |
| 2035 | 65.2 |
| 2036 | 32.6 |
| 2037 | 95.1 |
| 2038 | 16.4 |
| 2039 | 5.1 |
Gate 1, Gate 2 and connections reform
Since 21 November 2025 NESO's register carries a Gate column, filled in once an agreement is countersigned, so many entries are not yet marked.
| Gate column | Entries | Capacity (GW) |
|---|---|---|
| Gate 2 | 124 | 20.8 |
| Gate 1 | 830 | 295.0 |
| Not yet marked | 887 | 288.3 |
NESO's re-ordered pipeline, published 8 December 2025, holds 283 GW of generation and storage in NESO's re-ordered pipeline (Gate 2 offers, connection dates to 2035), plus 99 GW of demand; the queue before reform was 722 GW. Batteries with Gate 2 offers total 83.2 GW (Phase 1 34.5 GW, Phase 2 48.7 GW), in NESO's own figures. The register still lists every unbuilt entry, which is why its total (604.1 GW) is larger than the reformed pipeline.
Questions
What is the TEC register?
NESO's Transmission Entry Capacity register lists projects that hold contracts for capacity on the National Electricity Transmission System, both existing and future connections. NESO updates it twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays.
How big is the GB grid connection queue?
The TEC register file of 16 October 2026 lists 1,841 unbuilt entries totalling 604.1 GW. NESO's reformed Gate 2 pipeline is 283 GW of generation and storage (8 December 2025).
Why is the TEC register total larger than NESO's Gate 2 pipeline?
The register lists every unbuilt entry holding a TEC contract, including Gate 1 entries and entries not yet re-marked after reform. The Gate 2 pipeline counts only projects NESO placed in its re-ordered pipeline.
How much of the queue is battery storage?
189.1 GW of unbuilt TEC register capacity is battery storage. In NESO's reform results, batteries with Gate 2 offers total 83.2 GW.
What does Scoping mean in the TEC register?
Scoping is the register's earliest project status: the project holds a connection agreement but has not reached the consent stages. 494.4 GW across 1,414 entries is at Scoping.
Sources
- NESO: Transmission Entry Capacity (TEC) register · NESO Open Data Licence
- NESO: Connections Reform Results · NESO Open Data Licence
- NESO: connections reform battery rule and figures · NESO Open Data Licence
Figures are a snapshot of the latest published data and are rebuilt with every data refresh. Check primary sources before relying on any figure. Methodology & data use · Plans