The Transmission Entry Capacity (TEC) Register is a record of generation projects that hold contracts for Transmission Entry Capacity (TEC) with National Energy System Operator (NESO) . This includes both connected projects and future connection projects, as well as projects that are directly connected to the National Electricity Transmission System (NETS) or connected at distribution level (and which have a Bilateral Embedded Generator Agreement (BEGA)).

Article by Nikki Pillinger – expert grid connections project manager

Before joining Roadnight Taylor Nikki, headed grid teams at GRIDSERVE and British Solar Renewables where she managed the origination, de-risking, project management and energisation of a large number of grid connections. Nikki has also led the grid oversight in a significant volume of both project acquisitions and project sales.

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19 June 2023

The Transmission Entry Capacity (TEC) Register is a record of generation projects that hold contracts for Transmission Entry Capacity (TEC) with National Energy System Operator (NESO). This includes both connected projects and future connection projects, as well as projects that are directly connected to the National Electricity Transmission System (NETS) or connected at distribution level (and which have a Bilateral Embedded Generator Agreement (BEGA)). Schemes with a BEGA should also appear in the relevant DNO Embedded Capacity Register (ECR). Note that demand-only connections on the transmission system are not shown in the TEC Register.

The TEC register is online and lists information such as project and customer name, connection substation, MW capacity, technology type and host TO. It also details the project status, categorising them into scoping, awaiting consents, consents approved and built, and gives a target energisation date. The TEC Register is updated twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays.

TEC is the maximum capacity in MW that a generator is permitted to export into the NETS. It is one of the two types of connection capacity included in transmission offers. The other is Connection Entry Capacity (CEC), which is the maximum potential output of a generation asset onto the NETS. CEC is often set higher than TEC to allow for changes over years in outputs without needing to adapt or modify infrastructure.

Note that there are two other registers maintained by NESO that relate to the capacity of connections on the network. One is the Interconnector Register, which lists connected and contracted interconnectors to other electricity systems, such as into mainland Europe. The other is the Embedded Register, which lists generation connections in Scotland that have a BELLA (Bilateral Embedded Licence Exemptible Large Power Station Agreement) Schemes with a BELLA should also appear in the relevant DNO Embedded Capacity Register.

Due to the current size of the connection queue on the GB transmission system NESO is currently holding a TEC Amnesty (see our TEC Amnesty podcast for more information). This process invites all parties with Connections Agreements listed on the TEC register to either reduce their TEC, or terminate their agreements at minimal or no cost.