Fixing the UK’s grid connection backlog with Charles Deacon (Eclipse Power Solutions)

Nov 25, 2025

Charles Deacon, Managing Director at Eclipse Power Solutions, dives into the perplexing grid connection backlog in the UK. He reveals how developers face hurdles with long delays and shifting requirements that hinder renewable projects. Charles discusses the impact of recent reforms, exploring flexible connections and the need for better resource planning. He shares insights on private networks and practical strategies for developers navigating the evolving landscape. The conversation underscores the pressing need for systematic change to meet the urgent energy transition goals.

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INSIGHT

Permission, Not Money, Is The Bottleneck

The UK has the ambition and capital but lacks permission to plug new clean assets into the grid.
Grid connection capacity, not technology or money, has become the primary bottleneck for Clean Power 2030.

ANECDOTE

Eclipse's Three-Step Response To Grid Pain

Charles describes Eclipse's three-part structure: IDNO operations, grid consultancy, and private-network business.
Eclipse launched a company to build private networks after a transmission license application stalled.

ADVICE

Secure Land Rights To Win Readiness

Prepare land rights and planning early to meet the 'readiness' test under connections reform.
Expect queue priorities to shift from first-come to first-ready, then to first-needed under regional quotas.

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Grid connections have become one of the most urgent bottlenecks in the UK energy transition. With long queues, inconsistent timelines, and a system designed for a different era, developers are struggling to connect the very projects needed to decarbonise the grid. As demand for renewables, storage, and electrification accelerates, the question is no longer whether the system needs reform, but how quickly it can be delivered.

In this episode of Transmission, Charles Deacon, Managing Director at Eclipse Power Solutions, joins Ed to break down the root causes of the UK’s connection backlog and what needs to change to fix it. Over the conversation, Charles explores how developers are navigating today’s connection challenges, what the recent reforms really mean in practice, and how networks, policymakers, and industry can work together to speed up delivery. He also shares lessons from real projects: what works, what doesn’t, and the operational realities behind getting assets connected in a congested system.

Key points covered:

• Why grid connection delays have become a major blocker for renewables and storage projects.

• How developers are adapting to uncertainty, shifting requirements, and long lead times.

• What the latest connection queue reforms mean for projects in practice.

• How networks, regulators, and industry can collaborate to accelerate connections.

• What a future, streamlined connection process should look like for a net-zero power system.

About our guest:

Charles Deacon is Managing Director at Eclipse Power Solutions. He is a specialist in grid connections and energy infrastructure development, with hands-on experience navigating the UK’s complex and rapidly evolving connection landscape. For more information on what Eclipse Power Solutions do - head to their website. https://eclipsepower.co.uk/solutions/

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