NESO CSNP Methodology Conditionally Approved
Summary
Ofgem has conditionally approved the National Energy System Operator's (NESO) Centralised Strategic Network Plan (CSNP) Methodology. The CSNP will provide an independent, coordinated, long-term plan for electricity, gas transmission, and hydrogen transport and storage networks in Great Britain. Ofgem assessed the Methodology against CSNP Guidance, ESO Licence Condition C17, and GSP Licence Condition C12, and approved it subject to two conditions requiring further development in limited areas.
What changed
Ofgem has conditionally approved the CSNP Methodology submitted by NESO in January 2026. The approval establishes the framework NESO will use to produce the first Centralised Strategic Network Plan, which will coordinate long-term planning for GB's electricity, gas transmission, and hydrogen transport and storage networks. Ofgem's conditional approval requires NESO to develop further details on two limited areas before full implementation.
Energy network operators and stakeholders should monitor NESO's compliance with the approval conditions. The CSNP will use the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) as an input to identify system needs, develop options, appraise them, and recommend delivery. This methodology approval represents a significant step in establishing coordinated energy network governance across GB's transmission infrastructure.
What to do next
- Review Ofgem's two conditions and develop required additional details
- Submit updated methodology components addressing the conditions within agreed timeframes
- Proceed with CSNP production using the approved methodology framework
Archived snapshot
Apr 15, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Approval of NESO's CSNP Methodology
Publication type: Decision Publication date:
15 April 2026
Topic: Electricity transmission Print this page
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Centralised Strategic Network Plan guidance
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- We have reviewed the National Energy System Operator’s (NESO's) submission of the Centralised Strategic Network Plan Methodology and have decided to conditionally approve it.
The Centralised Strategic Network Plan (CSNP) will provide an independent, coordinated, and long-term plan for the electricity and gas transmission and hydrogen transport and storage (T&S) networks in Great Britain (GB). Using NESO’s Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) as an input, the CSNP will be an independently produced, long-term energy network plan to support GB in delivering a clean, affordable and secure energy system.
The CSNP Methodology sets out the approach that NESO will follow when producing the CSNP. It describes a structured process encompassing the use of the SSEP and other inputs on the future energy system to identify system needs, develop options, appraise them, and recommend delivery. It also outlines governance arrangements and details on stakeholder engagement. NESO submitted this Methodology to Ofgem for review in January 2026.
We have assessed the Methodology against the requirements set out in our CSNP Guidance, as well as ESO Licence Condition C17 and GSP Licence Condition C12. Overall, we consider that the Methodology provides a credible and proportionate framework for producing the first CSNP.
In this publication, we set out our decision to approve NESO’s CSNP Methodology, subject to two conditions that require further details to be developed on limited areas.
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Approval of NESO's CSNP Methodology [PDF, 152.49KB] Print this page
Related links
Centralised Strategic Network Plan guidance
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