Direction to NESO on CSNP publication timing
Direction to National Energy System Operator (NESO) to submit the first Centralised Strategic Network Plan (CSNP) to Ofgem by 15 September 2028 and publish the first CSNP by 15 December 2028.
National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) Centralised Strategic Network Plan (CSNP) will provide an independent, coordinated, and long-term plan for electricity, natural gas, and hydrogen transport and storage networks across Great Britain. The CSNP will use the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) as a core input to plan the networks required over the next 25 years. The first CSNP is due to be published by NESO by December 2027.
We have decided to align the timeline by which the CSNP will be produced, with the recently revised timeline of the SSEP. This will allow for timely and adequate stakeholder input, ensure adequate time for the development of network options, provide sufficient time for analysis to be carried out, and provide certainty on long-term network needs.
NESO sent a letter to Ofgem on 23 March 2026 to request derogations from its Electricity System Operator (ESO) and Gas System Operation (GSO) licences to allow it to submit the CSNP to Ofgem for approval by 15 September 2028, instead of 30 June 2027, and publish the CSNP by 15 December 2028, instead of 31 December 2027. We have decided to allow these changes due to the reasons above.