Ofgem has approved the Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs) to be drawn up for Scotland, Wales and nine regions in England, by the independent National Energy System Operator (NESO).
Each plan will reveal steps to protect security of supply, meet rising electricity demand and help to deliver a cost-effective route to net zero in each area.
The plans will not only coordinate the expansion of local energy, scaling up clean power generation, but also look at the building infrastructure required for decarbonizing heating and transport, industrial clusters and hydrogen plants. They will also assess how local areas have different needs in terms of security of energy supply in response to extreme weather events such as storms.
Britain is expected to ensure there is enough capacity available on the network to support decarbonization of industry, transport and heat, alongside new economic activity, such as data centres. The scale of work required in upgrading Britain’s energy infrastructure needs electricity and gasing network companies, planning bodies and the private sector to work together to achieve the targets set out by government.
Ofgem identified a lack of co-ordinated and standardized planning between groups, leading to delays. RESPs are aimed at preventing the delays by ensuring all the relevant organizations are considering the co-existence of different energy types such as gas, electricity, heat networks and hydrogen in a regional system.
The transitional regional energy plans will be in place from 2026, and the first full plans will be delivered by late 2027. RESPs will involve engagement with stakeholders for the requests of local residents, businesses and communities. NESO will set-up arrangements in each RESP area to ensure stakeholders and local communities participate effectively.
