Consultation on new grid connection criteria

In recent years in Denmark, grid connections have become a scarce resource and Energinet has been working on solutions to the grid connection problem. The consultation is on part of such solutions: How to ensure that the most mature and grid friendly projects are prioritized and how to maintain project progress.

Energinet is expanding the maturity requirements that were introduced in February this year. It should be noted that the existing technical requirements, documentation and financial security requirements still apply.

The new maturity requirements entail that Energi will introduce three stages (maturity gates), the main elements of which are as follows:

Maturity gate 1 – before the screening phase can begin

• The grid customer must document that there is a basis for the planning for the project. This does not require that e.g. a local plan is already in place but that there is a basis for the planning, for instance by demonstrating that the municipality supports the planning or that the project area is designated for the intended purpose.
• The grid customer must pay a start-up deposit of 500,000 DKK.
• The party that will sign the grid connection agreement must be identified.
• If the facility is intended to increase the capacity gradually, a plan for this must be submitted.

Maturity Gate 2 – Before the maturation phase can begin

• The grid customer must have completed the entire delivery list (including single-line diagrams, transformer and cable information).
• The grid customer must submit a draft guarantee.
• The grid customer must submit documentation showing that the requirements of maturity gate 3 can be met within 12 months.

Maturity Gate 3 – Before a grid connection agreement can be signed

• The grid customer must submit documentation that the local plan has been
  approved or that the planning basis is otherwise fully clarified.

Under the new model, the mature projects are prioritized in eight groups depending on the following project characteristics chosen to support the efficient utilization of grid capacity and Energinet’s resources:

• Projects that use already reserved capacity and projects categorized as ‘organic growth’.
• Connections within the customer’s existing site without any change to grid
• Grid-relieving projects and new consumption in generation-dominated areas
  or new generation in consumption-dominated areas.
• Grid utilization in existing substations.

The prioritization criteria above will be in effect from 3 June 2026 and will apply only to projects in queue for the screening and maturation phases.

It should be noted that the criteria include dynamic elements and that prioritization can change over time.

Gorrissen Federspiel’s assessment

The new prioritization criteria are a first step. They will allow Energinet to focus its resources on mature projects and on projects that can be grid connected without substantial expansion of the grid and/or substations.

It is positive that the criteria are technology and industry sector neutral, and this should be maintained also when Energinet is assessing the grid friendliness criteria. Important to note that the grid friendliness criteria can only work if Energinet and the DSOs increase the transparency, the frequency of data updates and the granularity of the information on available capacity.

Careful consideration is needed as to whether the technical requirements at Maturity Gate 2 fit with how a project is typically developed. Many projects seek to secure the grid connection before spending time and resources on procurement and e.g. settling component details. This is a practical point that it would be worthwhile for project developers to address in the consultation.

The new prioritization criteria will not in themselves solve the scarcity of grid capacity. Further initiatives should be taken by the TSO, the DSOs and the Ministry to increase the utilization and efficiency of existing capacity in both the grid itself and the grid connections. We would, for example, welcome it if the restrictions on co-location (behind-the-meter solutions) are loosened to allow for more flexible solutions.

Consultation

Energinet has opened the consultation and stakeholders can provide input on the new maturity requirements and the new prioritization model until 20 May 2026.

Read more about the new measures and the consultation on Energinet’s homepage: Nye krav skal sikre mere fart på projekter, der vil tilsluttes elnettet

If you have questions regarding the grid connection situation please reach out to Gorrissen Federspiel.