Grid connection delays frequently hold up the opening of a new site, the expansion of an existing one or the addition of equipment like EV chargers. But there are still things you can do in the meantime to avoid putting everything on hold.
In this article, find out why these delays happen, how you can keep things moving and whether you could get started with less grid power than you originally asked for.
Why is your commercial grid connection delayed?
The amount of power the local network can safely provide is called its network capacity. In Great Britain, the company in charge of your local network capacity is a Distribution Network Operator (DNO).
The four main reasons they may not be able to move as fast as you want are:
| What is causing the delay? | What it means |
|---|---|
| Not enough network capacity | Cables, transformers or other parts of the local network need upgrading before you can have all the power you asked for. This is known as network reinforcement. |
| Earlier accepted connections | Other businesses already have some of the available capacity reserved for connections they accepted before yours. |
| Land, legal or equipment work | Work is being held up by issues like land permissions, access or equipment that has not arrived yet. |
| Information from your project | Your team still needs to provide plans, dates or design details, or make a decision the DNO is waiting for. |
Of those four causes, the connection queue probably needs the most explanation.
If another business has already been promised some of the available grid capacity for a future connection, the DNO may have to keep that capacity aside for it. That’s even if the other site hasn’t been connected up yet.
That does not mean it can hold the capacity forever. Under current Energy Networks Association rules, projects have to keep meeting milestones such as planning, land permissions and construction. If they stop progressing, the DNO can release that capacity back.
Even so, Ofgem said in June 2026 that the queue for new and larger business connections was still growing. So the important question is not just when you are due to connect, but what is actually holding your connection up.
What should you ask your DNO about the delay?
You need three answers from your DNO, or whoever is managing the connection for you:
- What is causing the delay? What exactly is stopping them from connecting you?
- What has to happen next? What work still needs doing, and who needs to do it?
- Can you get some power sooner? Could the DNO give you a smaller connection now and increase it later, or let you connect sooner if you agree to limit how much grid power you use?
If the DNO cannot give you any usable power sooner, there may be nothing you can do at the site to bring the connection date forward. If it can, you then need to know whether that amount of power is enough to open, expand or start using the new equipment.
What information should you give the DNO to see if you can get started sooner?
The DNO needs to know what you actually need to get the first part of the site running, so tell them in the clearest possible terms:
- How much power you need at the start: Let them know which equipment you expect to use from day one, how many units there will be and how much power they could draw when the site is at its busiest.
- What you’re going to add to the site later: Include future production lines, EV chargers, buildings or other equipment that will push up your demand.
- When each stage will happen: Give realistic dates for the date you want to open and any phases after that.
- Large electrical loads: Tell them about EV chargers, heat pumps, large motors or anything else that could have a big effect on demand.
- Solar and batteries: Include equipment that could send electricity back to the grid.
- Plans of the site: Show the location, boundary, layout, proposed meter position and where you need the connection.
- Land and permissions: Give them details of any ownership, access or permissions they will need to do their work.
By separating what you need to get started with what you need when the whole site is up and running, you give the DNO something concrete to work with. This lets them see whether they can give you enough power to get started sooner, then increase it as you bring the rest of the site into use.
Can you get started with less grid power?
If the DNO can offer a smaller connection sooner, you then need to work out which parts of the site you could open and what equipment you could use with the power available.
There are three ways to make this work:
1. Open or expand the site in stages
Ask the DNO if it can increase the amount of power available as you grow the site. For example, you might open one part of a warehouse first, add production lines over several years or install EV chargers in batches.
Energy Networks Association guidance allows DNOs to offer some of the capacity first and more later as agreed milestones are reached. This is known as a phased-capacity offer.
Bear in mind, though, that you may still be waiting for network upgrades before the DNO can give you the extra power needed for later phases.
2. Agree to use less grid power for a while
You could accept a lower limit on how much power you can take from the grid.
Some DNOs offer these flexible or limited connections where the network cannot provide everything you want just yet. National Grid Electricity Distribution says this can sometimes let you connect before all the planned network upgrades are finished, or reduce how much upgrading is needed in the first place.
This is only a helpful option if you can actually run the site within the lower limit, of course.
3. Cover short periods when you need more power
If you only need extra power for short periods of time, you may be able to cover the difference without the DNO setting up a larger connection straight away.
Let’s say the DNO can give you 300 kW now, but your site occasionally needs 450 kW when, for example, several EV chargers are running at once or the production line is using a large piece of machinery. You are 150 kW short during those periods.
To overcome that, you can:
- Move when you use electricity: Delay things that do not need to run straight away. For example, you could charge some EVs later rather than having every charger running at the same time.
- Use commercial battery storage: The battery can supply some or all of the missing 150 kW when demand rises, so you do not have to take it all from the grid.
Using a battery to cover short spikes in demand this way is called peak shaving.
Before choosing either approach, check the following:
- Size of the gap: Work out how much extra power you need.
- How long the gap lasts: Needing another 150 kW for 20 minutes is very different from needing it for six hours.
- Demand you can move: Some equipment may be able to run earlier or later.
- What the battery needs to cover: It needs enough power and stored energy to supply whatever demand you cannot move.
- Time to recharge: There needs to be enough spare grid capacity to recharge the battery before you need it again.
- Future growth: Check that the same approach will still work as you add later phases.
If the site is already operating, half-hourly data analysis can show when demand is highest and how long those peaks last. For a new site, you will need to estimate this from the equipment you’re planning to use, when it will run and what else might be using power at the same time.
If you’ve already included a battery in your connection plans, the DNO should consider it as part of that application. If you decide to add one later, tell the DNO before going ahead because you may need a new G99 application or an update to one already submitted.
At a glance, the three options look like this:
| Option | Best suited to | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Phase the connection | You can open or expand the site in stages. | You may still need reinforcement for later phases. |
| Flexible or limited connection | You can run the business within a lower grid limit. | The restriction has to work with how your business operates. |
| Load control or battery storage | You only need extra power for short periods. | It may not work if the extra demand lasts for long periods. |
Is it worth getting started sooner?
Once you know what the DNO can offer, compare getting started early with simply waiting for the full connection.
Do not just compare the upfront costs. Waiting can cost money too if it delays opening the site, adding new equipment or bringing another part of the business into use.
Look at the difference between the options:
| Option | Costs to include | What you could gain |
|---|---|---|
| Wait for the full connection | Any connection or network costs you have to pay, plus financing costs while you wait. | You get the full amount of power once the work is finished. |
| Open in stages | Any extra costs from opening in phases, plus later connection work. | You can start earning or saving money from the first part of the site sooner. |
| Accept a lower grid limit | Any costs or lost output caused by having less grid power available. | You may be able to open sooner without waiting for all the network work to finish. |
| Move demand or use a battery | Battery, controls and running costs, plus any network work you may still need later. | You may be able to use more of the site sooner without increasing the connection straight away. |
The important thing is to put a value on the time you save. If opening six months earlier would bring in revenue or cut costs, include that in the comparison.
And do not assume a battery is automatically cheaper than waiting for the full connection. You may still need the larger connection later, so compare the full cost over the period that matters to you.
What can you get done while you wait for the connection?
Work doesn’t necessarily have to stop because of a grid connection delay.
While you’re waiting for the connection, use the time to deal with anything that could cause another delay or cost you more later:
- Send anything the DNO is still waiting for: Missing plans, equipment details or decisions from your side can add even more time to the delay.
- Sort out planning, land and access: Get any permissions or rights in place that you or the DNO will need before work can begin.
- Be careful about changing the electrical design: If you change how much power you need, where the connection will go or any major equipment, check with the DNO before spending money.
- Check equipment delivery times: Transformers and other electrical equipment can take a long time to arrive, so make sure they do not become the next thing holding you up.
- Update your budget and timetable: If the connection date moves, work out what that does to financing costs, lost revenue and the value of opening part of the site sooner.
The aim is to have everything else as ready as possible so that, when the DNO does eventually get around to connecting you, there’s nothing on your side that can further the hold-up.
How GridVolt can help when demand is part of the problem
If the DNO can give you less power sooner, GridVolt can help you find out whether that is enough to get the site up and running.
Energy Manager can model the power your equipment is likely to need against the connection the DNO can offer. You can then see when you would go over that limit, what electricity use could be moved to another time and whether a compatible commercial battery could cover what is left.
If the site can work with the smaller connection, Energy Manager can then tell compatible batteries and other equipment when to use less grid power or when the battery needs to step in.
Send GridVolt the connection the DNO can offer and what you plan to run on the site. We can model whether you could open, expand or start using the new equipment sooner rather than waiting for the full connection.
Fill in the form on the right or click here for our contact page.
Grid connection delays: frequently asked questions
How long are grid connection waiting times in Great Britain?
There is no standard waiting time. It depends on what is holding your connection up and what work needs to happen before the DNO can give you the power you asked for. Ask what is causing the delay, when that work is expected to finish and whether you could get a smaller connection sooner.
Can you challenge a DNO connection delay?
Yes, although what you can challenge depends on why you are waiting and what your connection offer says. Start by asking the DNO to explain exactly what is causing the delay and what you can do if you disagree with its decision or timescale. For larger connections, your offer may also explain how to raise a formal challenge or complaint.
Are grid connection delays handled the same way in Ireland?
Yes. In Ireland, most businesses deal with ESB Networks rather than a Great British DNO. Very large sites may connect directly to the transmission network through EirGrid.
You can still face the same basic problem: the local network may not have enough capacity to give you all the power you want straight away. ESB Networks can offer flexible demand connections in some areas, which may let you connect with limits on how much power you can use. GridVolt's Energy Manager can also be used in Ireland, but the connection process and electricity-market rules are different from Great Britain.