Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution has announced plans to tender for 70 MW of new flexibility capacity this year, with a contract value estimated at £6.7 million.

Flexibility is the ability to shift the timing and location of both the consumption and generation of electricity. As more low carbon technologies, such as electric vehicles, connect to the grid alongside distributed energy resources, flexibility is playing a crucial role in managing constraints on the network and supporting the smart grid technologies that will allow a cost-effective transition to net zero.

Britain’s local flexibility markets are the largest in the world and the tendered flexibility this year of all distribution network operators (DNOs), is due to free up capacity equivalent to the electricity demand for four million homes, without investing in new cabling.

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SSEN is tendering for flexibility services in response to an anticipated risk of a local network becoming overloaded. This will allow the network to be managed whilst deferring or avoiding the need for network reinforcement. Contracts are being sought in 16 zones across central southern England.

Gavin Stewart, Head of Flexible Solutions at SSEN said:

"We are excited to announce this major increase in the use of availability payments in our southern licence area. Owners, operators or aggregators of generation, storage or demand assets with flex capacity over 50kW may be able to provide flexibility services in return for payment from SSEN for helping to balance the grid. Flexibility allows us to manage the network cost effectively, which ultimately benefits our customers.

"I would encourage potential and existing providers to join our webinar on 11 August to learn more."

Interested parties are invited to a webinar on 11 August 2022, 10:00 – 11:00am to learn more about these opportunities. Register here.

Flexibility providers will be asked to submit pre-qualification information here before 19 August 2022 in order to participate in the tender.