Can a network congestion-optimised grid connection queue reduce balancing costs?

The UK has committed to ambitious targets for clean power. A key constraint in achieving these targets is how quickly renewable energy generators can connect to the transmission network. To address this, new policies (including CNDM, SSEP, and the CP30 Action Plan) are being introduced to reform both system planning and the order in which projects queue for grid connection. This paper proposes a complementary rule that utilises how projects differ in their impact on the grid: some connections relieve network congestion, while others exacerbate it, causing lengthy infrastructure upgrades. This paper utilises a network-based, congestion-aware, prioritisation model to reorder the grid connection queue according to how efficiently projects integrate into the grid. The paper evaluates the impact of this complementary rule and assesses whether it is likely to decrease balancing costs by reducing network congestion.