How much will it cost to connect?

When you apply for your connection, there will be a charge for the application, depending on the size and location of your proposed scheme. The fees are set annually and published by the ESO who also publish an application fee calculator: Connections Offer Process

When we, as an electricity Transmission Owner, connect your business to the National Electricity Transmission System (NETS), we incur costs which we recover through connection charges. These costs include the design and build of any connection assets, which vary from connection to connection but could include the procurement and installation of transformers, switchgear, metering, cables, and short sections of overhead lines and their associated civils works. The cost of clearing and preparing land for your new connection is also included. Take a look at our Connection Charges leaflet to learn more.

Before you apply for a connection, we offer the opportunity to carry out a detailed assessment of your connection options.

You will receive a technical report, also known as a Feasibility Study, for your company that provides detail on the agreed scope, key findings and our recommendations.

As every project is different, the cost of a Feasibility Study can vary. Fees are based on how complex your connection project is, how much time is required to complete the work and the daily charge-out rates as detailed in the NGET Charging Statement.

We may need to carry out works on the transmission system that, although directly attributable to the connection, may not result in additional connection assets. These works are defined as 'one-offs'.

One-off charges are established based on: whether a cost can be capitalised as either a connection or infrastructure asset; whether the cost has been incurred as a result of a non-standard request; or where we have had to ‘write-off’ some connection assets as a result of a termination.

You will need to lodge ‘securities’ with the ESO for your connection project whilst our connection works are ongoing. Securities provide commercial commitment for the investments we undertake to deliver your project, and are drawn down on in the event that you decide to cancel your connection project or reduce your capacity requirements after our work has begun. There are multiple routes to lodge securities depending on your organisation’s credit rating. The ESO can help you understand your options.

You can model your securities including consents using our ConnectNow Research Assistant tool. 

When you modify your connection, there will be a charge for the application, depending on the size and location of your proposed scheme. The fees are set annually and published by the ESO who also publish an application fee calculator: Connections Offer Process

This covers the day-to-day costs the ESO incurs for balancing generation and demand on a minute-by-minute basis. BSUoS is calculated daily as a flat tariff for all network users. 

The Electricity System Operator provides a forecast of BSUoS as part of the monthly balancing services summary report.

View the Balancing Services Use of System (BSUoS) charges.

This charge recovers the cost of the Onshore Transmission Owners building and maintaining the national electricity transmission system, which all our customers benefit from using. The charge is based on your demand forecast and geographical tariffs are published annually. The Electricity System Operator also publishes quarterly forecasting information.  See the Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) charges.