TCR

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    Network charging – what’s been going on and why should I care?

    Across Great Britain there are ~810,000km of wires and underground cables that make up our electricity network. Split between the higher voltage, transmission system and the lower voltage distribution system, these lines and cables are responsible for transporting electrons up and down the country to provide consumers with the necessary...

  • Business supply and services

    Re-balancing the balancing costs –BSUoS charges to be levied solely on suppliers from April 2023

    Balancing the electricity system costs money. National Grid in its role as Electricity System Operator (ESO) takes actions in every half hour to achieve the remarkable feat of keeping supply and demand finely balanced on our national electricity system – maintaining a system which runs between 49.8 and 50.2Hz with...

  • Low carbon generation

    What to look out for in Third Party Charges in 2022-23

    In recent months, the GB energy market has been exposed to extreme volatility as wholesale prices have grown rapidly, leading to a significant number of supplier exits and questions over consumer affordability of energy bills. This has resulted in notable movement across a number of non-commodity costs (also known as...

  • Regulation and policy

    Electricity transmission charging reform – overtaken by changing priorities?

    Charging for the transmission network is never out of the development process for long. From major reviews, such as that initiated under Project Transmit in 2010, to significant reforms such as removing the triad benefit from distributed generation in 2018, and a host of smaller developments, change seems the only...

  • Low carbon generation

    Up north and down south – trends for generator TNUoS charging

    The topic of generator Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) is becoming a subject of increasing interest for stakeholders as regulation, policy, and the generation mix create potential volatility for future charging trends. The significant costs posed through TNUoS are an important consideration for generators, with high variability between regions...

  • Net zero corporates and ESG

    Major energy policy and regulatory changes discussed in our December Net Zero Business forum

    On 10 December 2020, Cornwall Insight hosted its Net Zero Business Forum. Held four days before the release of the UK government’s Energy White Paper, the focus was on the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan, the Spending Review and the National Infrastructure Strategy. Head of Relationship Development Robert Buckley and Head...

  • Regulation and policy

    Ofgem’s Network Access and Forward Looking Charges review – should I be interested

    Spoiler – if you are a distribution connected generator, yes, In a big way Ofgem is currently progressing one of its biggest overhauls of network charging; with the Targeted Charging Review having only recently concluded that is quite a statement. We have already seen the value to distribution connected generators...

  • Regulation and policy

    Targeted Charging Review residual network charges – some remainders

    While Ofgem has ruled on the arrangements that will apply to distribution use of system (DUoS) charges from 1 April 2022 following the regulator’s Targeted Charging Review (TCR) Significant Code Review (SCR) decision last November, it has still to determine a series of CUSC modifications that aim to put in...

  • Regulation and policy

    Spring renewal: CMP332 withdrawn pending reinvigoration

    Ofgem’s Targeted Charging Review (TCR) has been a major workstream in the electricity industry since it was kicked off in March 2017. Looking at several elements of the network charging regime that were deemed no longer fit for purpose in the changing energy system, it has wound its way towards...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Editor’s Pick | Ofgem delays Transmission Demand Residual change to 2022

    The regulator has accepted a request by National Grid ESO (NGESO) to replace the current CUSC proposal to implement the Targeted Charging Review (TCR) decision for a fixed residual transmission network use of system (TNUoS). A new implementation date of 1 April 2022 will replace 1 April 2021. NGESO submitted...

  • Low carbon generation

    Editor’s Pick | A marathon and a sprint? What next for onshore renewables?

    This article was originally published in Energy Spectrum Issue 702 on 17 February 2020. For recent news and analysis on the energy market, find out more about our weekly publication, Energy Spectrum, here. In this week’s Energy Perspective, we take a look at the renewables pipeline and ask whether the volume of new...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Network Charging Reforms Factsheet: Targeted Charging Review

    Ofgem recently published its decision on the Targeted Charging Review (TCR) Significant Code Review (SCR) and issued a direction to the network companies to progress code modifications to give effect to the conclusions. There are two main elements to the review: Balancing Services Use of System (BSUoS) charges for embedded...

  • Low carbon generation

    Constrained development: Scottish wind and the issues of network charging

    Northern Scotland is home to a significant proportion of GB renewables, particularly onshore wind capacity. The region is also likely to be a leader in new capacity developments and we are working directly with a number of developers looking to finalise new subsidy-free projects here. Under subsidy schemes, there is...

  • Regulation and policy

    BSUoS task force report sets scene for Targeted Charging Review decision

    The Electricity System Operator (ESO) led task force issued its final report on 31 May, recommending that all the costs in balancing services use of system (BSUoS) charges should be treated solely as cost recovery. The report will feed into Ofgem’s decision on the Targeted Charging Review (TCR) Significant Code...

  • Low carbon generation

    Paradise Lost: The changing face of Embedded Benefits

    Current electricity market arrangements give rise to the concept of “embedded benefits”. These are predominantly supplier costs that are reduced or avoided via contracting with small-scale generation connected at the distribution network level instead of the national transmission system. Distributed generation does not generally attract charges for using the national...