UK Planning Reforms Aim to Speed Up Clean Energy and Grid Projects
The UK government’s Planning and Infrastructure Act has now passed into law, allowing its reforms to begin taking effect. The legislation is intended to reduce delays in the planning system and speed up the delivery of major infrastructure, including energy projects critical to the UK’s electricity system.
For the energy sector, the reforms place particular emphasis on accelerating clean power and grid infrastructure. Faster planning decisions and prioritised electricity connections are intended to help bring new renewable generation online more quickly, while also unlocking the transmission upgrades needed to move power from where it is generated to where it is used. Grid constraints have increasingly been seen as a limiting factor for wind and solar projects, even where generation capacity is available.
The Act is also expected to support progress on large-scale, long-term energy projects that have faced extended planning timelines. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves cited Sizewell C as an example of a project affected by years of delay. The nuclear plant is expected to provide a stable source of low-carbon electricity once operational, complementing variable renewable generation as the UK expands wind and solar capacity.
By prioritising clean power projects and streamlining approvals for associated infrastructure, the legislation is closely linked to the government’s net zero and clean power objectives. Meeting targets for electricity decarbonisation requires not only new renewable capacity, but also faster deployment of grid reinforcements, storage, and firm low-carbon power. Delays across any of these areas can slow overall progress, even where investment interest is strong.
Taken together, the reforms aim to remove planning bottlenecks that have slowed the energy transition, enabling renewables, nuclear and electricity networks to scale in parallel. How effectively the changes translate into faster delivery will be closely watched, as the UK seeks to expand clean electricity supply while maintaining system reliability and controlling costs.