The Connectology® Podcast by Roadnight Taylor

Hosted by Roadnight Taylor

Business Technology

Website RSS feed

Episodes

Latest episode

Jul 2026

Language

About the show

Roadnight Taylor’s influential team of elite grid connections specialists (Connectologists®) and their expert guests help you to better understand distribution and transmission network connections, and how to acquire them faster, at less cost and at lower risk.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

July 14, 2026Episode 8926 min

#89 Grid future-proofing: has standardisation gone too far?

Connectologists® Catherine, Philip and Alex ask whether standardising substation design means we're now building too much grid. Key themes discussed include: the cost of going big: a substation built to serve multiple future customers can cost £100m–£150m and use up to 100 acres of land - several times the £20m–£30m it costs to build a smaller substation for a single customer a live example: one project was moved to a new, larger substation meant to serve several customers - but most of those other customers dropped out after Connections Reform, leaving a big substation to be built for demand that no longer exists a question of intent: is building big and scaling back later a deliberate strategy, or just a lack of one the planning horizon: there's no Strategic Spatial Energy Plan yet to guide where new substations should go, and around fourteen years of demand is already queued up - so how far ahead should operators be planning a risk to innovation: always reaching for a big new substation could mean that smarter options, like sharing existing bays, get overlooked Recorded: 09 June 2026 This content was recorded on an earlier date. The connections landscape changes rapidly, so please treat any facts, figures, and guidance as a point-in-time view and verify current information before relying on it. Our links: Website: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/ Newsletter sign up: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/newsletter/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roadnight-taylor-ltd/ Find if we fit at info@roadnighttaylor.co.uk

July 7, 2026Episode 8825 min

#88 Reform Update - Part 2: Demand Reform and Code Mods

Pete Aston is joined by Nikki Pillinger and Alex Ikonic for a fast-moving look at Demand Reform and several Code Modifications in progress. HV asset ownership: strong industry support for new ownership routes - either a class exemption or an Independent Transmission Owner (ITO) license. NGET is now consulting demand customers on whether they'd want to own High Voltage (HV) assets, potentially as part of some Gate 2 Phase 2 offers, with a fuller Ofgem consultation expected in autumn CURATE pillar: Ofgem is weighing financial mechanisms and new milestones to keep only viable projects in the demand queue, with a consultation due within about a month CMP417: would bring demand cancellation securities in line with generation; final report due to Ofgem imminently, decision expected by end of summer CMP470: a new project commitment fee for oversubscribed technologies, rising to £25k per megawatt at maximum; consultation closed 30 June CMP460/DCP461: deciding how Super Grid Transformer costs are charged — a second industry vote produced no clear consensus, so the decision now sits with Ofgem Recorded: 25 June 2026 This content was recorded on an earlier date. The connections landscape changes rapidly, so please treat any facts, figures, and guidance as a point-in-time view and verify current information before relying on it. Our links: Website: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/ Newsletter sign up: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/newsletter/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roadnight-taylor-ltd/ Find if we fit at info@roadnighttaylor.co.uk

July 1, 2026Episode 8727 min

#87 Reform Update - Part 1: Gate 2 Offers

Developers and investors have spent the past year navigating Gate 2 applications, hoping for offers that would clearly de-risk their projects. In this episode, Connectologist® Pete Aston is joined by Connectologists® Nikki Pillinger and Rachael Eynon to unpack what is actually showing up in those offers and the queue changes ahead. Offer progress: transmission and distribution protected offers have now been issued, with around 400 accepted and only seven declined so far Unhelpful clauses: some protected offers include caveats suggesting transmission costs or assessments could still change, which Nikki Pillinger flags as inconsistent with the methodology for protected projects Cost increases: several DNOs are showing significant cost rises beyond the expected 30 to 40%, with some linked to new delivery frameworks Industry workshop outcomes: requests for earlier sight of transmission works, more flexible acceptance windows for staged connections, and better prioritisation of post-offer queries New working groups: CIDEF (Connections Investor/Developer Engagement Forum), led by Ofgem, and a separate DNO consistency group from RenewableUK Methodology updates: queue protections will remain for all projects, not just batteries, alongside new prioritisation for hybrid and repowering projects Mod App scoping: NESO is gathering early views on project changes ahead of the next Gate 2 window, with a tight 10 July deadline Recorded: 25 June 2026 This content was recorded on an earlier date. The connections landscape changes rapidly, so please treat any facts, figures, and guidance as a point-in-time view and verify current information before relying on it. Our links: Website: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/ Newsletter sign up: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/newsletter/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roadnight-taylor-ltd/ Find if we fit at info@roadnighttaylor.co.uk

May 18, 2026Episode 8637 min

#86 Grid News and Views #19

Connectologists® Pete Aston, Philip Bale, and Alex Ikonic return for another GNV session, covering the developments shaping the connections landscape right now. The episode explores: Gate 2 offer progress is moving steadily, with 100% of protected transmission offers issued and distribution at 39%, though Phase 1 offers (to 2030) arriving mid-May to September are expected to bring more complex terms and cost increases. Technical queries are critical as some offers have contained material errors, developers are urged to raise queries within the four-week window before accepting. Demand connections reform is gaining momentum, with an estimated 50+ gigawatts of data centre capacity in the queue and consultations underway on viability measures, alongside demand registers expected later this year. ANM curtailment risk is proving greater than forecast for many connected projects, with unclear LIFO positions, data errors, and Gate 2 queue restructuring all adding uncertainty. Transmission delays are already reaching customers, with no equivalent financial consequence for transmission owners - an asymmetry the Connectologists® flag as requiring urgent attention. Recorded: 12 May 2026 This content was recorded on an earlier date. The connections landscape changes rapidly, so please treat any facts, figures, and guidance as a point-in-time view and verify current information before relying on it. Our links: Website: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/ Newsletter sign up: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/newsletter/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roadnight-taylor-ltd/ Find if we fit at info@roadnighttaylor.co.uk

April 20, 2026Episode 8543 min

#85 Hypercube's AI perspective with Adam Sroka, CEO, Hypercube

Rachael Eynon is joined by Adam Sroka, CEO of Hypercube, a specialist data and AI consultancy focused on the energy sector, to explore how energy organisations can navigate AI adoption safely and practically. Adam explores: How the energy sector is roughly a decade behind leading tech industries in AI adoption — caution that exists for good reason given the complexity of multi-stakeholder energy systems His "risk staircase" approach favours the lowest-risk use case that proves value and builds confidence before scaling up AI as a quality check: using one model to critique or score the output of another is a practical pattern that could help organisations improve the reliability of AI-generated work without heavy overhead AI's role in Connections Reform: as grid connection processes grow more complex, there may be opportunities for AI to improve data accessibility, transparency, and decision-making across the connections landscape Connectologist® Catherine Cleary also joined Adam on the Hypercube Energy Podcast, exploring grid connection reform, queue management, and the future of connections from an engineer's perspective — you can listen to that conversation here: https://wearehypercube.com/grid-reform-queue-management-and-the-future-of-connections/ Recorded: 30 March 2026 This content was recorded on an earlier date. The connections landscape changes rapidly, so please treat any facts, figures, and guidance as a point-in-time view and verify current information before relying on it. Our links: Website: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/ Newsletter sign up: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/newsletter/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roadnight-taylor-ltd/ Find if we fit at info@roadnighttaylor.co.uk

April 13, 2026Episode 8420 min

#84 Grid News and Views 18 - Part 2

Kyle Murchie, Nikki Pillinger, and Rachael Eynon return for Part 2 of GNV18, covering Ofgem's end-to-end review progress and the rapidly evolving demand connections landscape. Ofgem's end-to-end review: working groups are already delivering, with DNOs and NESO committed to publishing registers of accepted demand connections from one megawatt and above Guaranteed connection dates: Nikki notes DNOs are open to the concept but timing must link to meaningful developer milestones — financial investment decision, contractor appointment, or construction planning — not offer stage Data transparency: SSEN and UKPN have improved demand data tools, now separating BESS and non-BESS demand at substation level Demand queue growth: the combined transmission and distribution queue grew from approximately 42 gigawatts to around 125 gigawatts between summer 2024 and summer 2025, driven by AI data centres, hydrogen, and industrial decarbonisation Information Request Notice: a mandatory NESO request targeting Gate 1 and Gate 2 demand customers requiring detailed project progress and financial information — closed on the 13 April 2026, with concerns raised about response quality given tight timescales DESNZ strategic demand consultation: running in parallel with responses due 15 April 2026, exploring enhanced queue readiness requirements, a strategic demand project designation process, and potential regional targets for data centre placement Recorded: 07 April 2026 This content was recorded on an earlier date. The connections landscape changes rapidly, so please treat any facts, figures, and guidance as a point-in-time view and verify current information before relying on it. Our links: Website: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/ Newsletter sign up: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/newsletter/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roadnight-taylor-ltd/ Find if we fit at info@roadnighttaylor.co.uk

April 13, 2026Episode 8331 min

#83 Grid News and Views 18 - Part 1

In Part 1 of Grid News and Views 18, Connectologists® Kyle Murchie, Nikki Pillinger, and Rachael Eynon cover the latest Gate 2 offer progress, the methodology consultation's most pressing areas, and emerging repowering challenges. Gate 2 transmission offers: Progress on protected offers had reached 80% issued as of late last week, though whether that figure covers transmission and distribution remains unclear. Protected 2026/27 distribution offers are still expected before end of May Offer quality: Some offers are missing key appendices and Gate 1 offers have contained inaccurate statements — worth checking before signing. SSEN Transmission has proposed a pre-offer information call to help developers sense-check their offer ahead of receipt Methodology consultation: Deadline extended to the 21st. Key question: whether protections clauses 3A and 3B should be disapplied for batteries due to oversupply — though Nikki cautions this is premature given unknown acceptance rates and market forces Capacity reallocation: Capacity freed by departing projects goes to existing queue participants in the first instance, not new applicants Repowering: Clear policy needed for older distribution-connected sites. Questions remain around impact to queue position, and what would be deemed a technology change. Regen's recent paper on repowering wind is worth a read Since recording, the NESO has published updated figures confirming 88% of Gate 2 protected offers have now been issued, with fewer than ten TOCOs outstanding per Transmission Owner. NESO has also issued more than 1,000 Gate 1 offers. Transmission offers remain on track for mid-April and distribution offers for mid-May. A cross-industry dashboard led by the ENA will shortly provide a consistent view of progress across transmission and distribution. Recorded: 07 April 2026 This content was recorded on an earlier date. The connections landscape changes rapidly, so please treat any facts, figures, and guidance as a point-in-time view and verify current information before relying on it. Our links: Website: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/ Newsletter sign up: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/newsletter/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roadnight-taylor-ltd/ Find if we fit at info@roadnighttaylor.co.uk

April 2, 2026Episode 8246 min

#82 Connections Reform from a NGET perspective with John Twomey, NGET

Pete Aston is joined by John Twomey, Director of Customer and Network Development at National Grid Electricity Transmission, to explore where Connection Reform stands and what developers can expect as the engineering phase gets underway. Connection Reform has entered execution mode - system studies are now underway, with transparency, customer-centricity, and contract quality as the three priorities shaping Gate 2 offers Connection dates will be ambitious but deliverable - assessments draw on project critical paths, system access windows, and direct customer input on risk appetite, with deferral conversations already happening where needed Battery oversubscription is a significant challenge — NGET needs around 10GW of battery connections by 2035, yet over 40GW of batteries will receive a Gate 2 offer, with pressure falling on substation bays rather than wider network reinforcement Bay sharing is emerging as a key solution — two or more customers sharing a single substation bay is being actively assessed across both legacy and new-build substations before offers go out to customers Attrition will open optimisation opportunities — as offers go unaccepted, options emerge for projects further back in the queue, with customers engaged individually before any contract changes are made NGET is scaling significantly — a new five-year price control with Ofgem covers around £35billion of investment, backed by a new regional supply chain framework designed to accelerate delivery Recorded: 26 March 2026 This content was recorded on an earlier date. The connections landscape changes rapidly, so please treat any facts, figures, and guidance as a point-in-time view and verify current information before relying on it. Our links: Website: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/ Newsletter sign up: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/newsletter/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roadnight-taylor-ltd/ Find if we fit at info@roadnighttaylor.co.uk

March 11, 2026Episode 8116 min

#81 Transmission licence exemption for demand

Connectologist® Pete Aston is joined by colleagues Alex Ikonic and Catherine Cleary to discuss Ofgem's Call for Input on demand connections reform — focusing on the legal ambiguity preventing demand customers from owning high-voltage transmission assets. Key discussion points: The disparity: generators can own 400 kV assets; demand customers in England and Wales cannot — restricting engineering flexibility for large projects Energy parks at risk: hybrid projects with a “Grid Co” owning shared assets may inadvertently require a transmission licence Roadnight Taylor's proposal: a Class Exemption for sole-use assets — automatic, no application, no ongoing adjudication Gate 2 implications: realistic implementation likely for Phase 2 (2031+) projects Ofgem's Call for Input closes 13 March 2026 Recorded: 04 March 2026 This content was recorded on an earlier date. The connections landscape changes rapidly, so please treat any facts, figures, and guidance as a point-in-time view and verify current information before relying on it. Our links: Website: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/ Newsletter sign up: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/newsletter/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roadnight-taylor-ltd/ Find if we fit at info@roadnighttaylor.co.uk

March 10, 2026Episode 8030 min

#80 Grid News and Views #17

Connectologists® Catherine Cleary and Kyle Murchie are joined by Rachael Eynon in her first episode as a Connectologist®, covering the key grid connection developments of February 2026. The headline topic is Ofgem's call for input on Demand Reform, closing 13 March. The combined transmission and distribution demand queue reached around 42GW in summer 2024 before rising to roughly 125GW, prompting a pause on new transmission applications. Ofgem's response introduces three pillars: CURATE - additional financial mechanisms and readiness criteria to filter the Gate 2 demand queue PLAN - implement a strategic plan for data centres and support existing prioritisation services CONNECT - exploring asset ownership boundaries, , and whether large demand customers should be able to build higher-voltage assets as generators do Roadnight Taylor is drafting a proposal for a potential change to licence exemptions under the Electricity Act on asset ownership and will publish insights ahead of the 13 March call for input deadline. The episode also covers: Transmission delays — 62% of projects with 2026/27 dates are now expected to be delayed, with calls for greater transparency on reinforcement timelines Gate 2 offers — Phase 1 CPAs have been agreed with the TOs; Phase 2 CPAs are targeted for issue soon Staged connections — concern that projects with multiple firm stages are being studied against their final stage, risking queue position integrity for projects able to connect now Technical limits schemes —some Gate 2 offers with technical limits may not be issued until Q1 2027; connecting earlier is possible, but at the developer's own risk SGT Charging — CMP460 first consultation has closed with a workgroup consultation still to follow; DCP461 second consultation is expected imminently Recorded 03 March 2026 This content was recorded on an earlier date. The connections landscape changes rapidly, so please treat any facts, figures, and guidance as a point-in-time view and verify current information before relying on it. Our links: Website: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/ Newsletter sign up: https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/newsletter/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roadnight-taylor-ltd/ Find if we fit at info@roadnighttaylor.co.uk