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Large demand projects live or die on grid position. The work here is about understanding realistic connection routes, likely constraints, and what that means for programme, phasing and investment decisions.
Data centre developers in Great Britain are facing some of the longest connection queues in the network's history. The job is to get clear on what is realistic, what is not, and how to avoid burning 12 to 18 months on a weak connection position or the wrong route to market.
For data centres and other large demand projects, the critical early question is often whether the project should be framed around distribution or transmission, and whether phased connection or partial energisation can create a workable route while the full load position matures.
That means pressure-testing broker claims, reviewing the real strength of the site’s network position, and getting honest about queue reality, reinforcement dependency and delivery timing before too much money is committed.
Support is built around the decisions that actually move a large demand project forward: transmission versus distribution strategy, phased energisation options, partial load connection, offer diligence, and direct network company engagement where assumptions need to be clarified or challenged.
The point is not to produce a long note. It is to help developers, investors and operators understand what is realistic, where the risk sits, and what route gives the project the best chance of staying live.
Advice is kept tied to delivery reality, including Connections Reform, Gate 2 progression and the practical context created by DESNZ’s Clean Power 2030 plan. What matters is whether the project has a route worth backing and how quickly the weak points can be exposed.