Suite of code modifications in relation to the Electricity System Restoration Standard
Decision
Publication date
Industry sector
- Distribution Network
- Generation and Wholesale Market
- Transmission Network
In April 2021, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), now the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), released a policy statement introducing the Electricity System Restoration Standard (ESRS).
The ESRS requires that in the event of a Total or Partial Shutdown of the Great Britain (GB) electricity system, the Electricity System Operator (ESO) must be capable of restoring 60% of Demand on the Transmission System in all regions within 24 hours, and of restoring 100% of Demand nationally within 5 days. It also sets out that the ESRS requirements must be met by 31 December 2026. In August 2021, we issued our decision on licence modifications to facilitate compliance with the ESRS. As a result, several changes to Industry Codes are required to facilitate these requirements.
These ESRS code modifications are a series of code modifications setting out the requirements on various parties of implementing the ESRS:
- Grid Code GC0156 – Sets out the resilience requirements on Generators, Restoration Contractors, Transmission Network Owners (TOs), Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) and the Electricity System Operator (ESO) and sets out the processes necessary in order to meet the ESRS.
- STC CM089/091 & SQSS GSR032 – Sets out the resilience requirements on Transmission Owners, and their processes necessary to meet the ESRS.
- Distribution Code DCRP/MP/22/02 – Introduces Distribution Zone Restoration Plans (a new approach of bottom-up energisation from Distribution to Transmission) and their requirements.
Our decision on these modifications should be read collectively.