United Infrastructure to Lead Industry Initiative to Accelerate Grid Connections for UK Data Centres 

United Infrastructure has been asked by industry stakeholders to lead the development of a series of standardised electricity connection archetypes designed to accelerate grid connectivity for the UK’s rapidly growing data centre sector, following high-level discussions with Ofgem and industry leaders.

The work will bring together expertise from across the electricity infrastructure supply chain to develop standard archetypes for data centres, substations, high voltage compounds and other common connection arrangements. The objective is to create a more consistent approach to network design and delivery, helping to reduce complexity, improve efficiency and accelerate connections to the electricity grid. 

The initiative follows a roundtable held in Cardiff with Akshay Kaul, Director General of Infrastructure at Ofgem, where more than 30 senior representatives from across the energy, digital infrastructure and development sectors came together to discuss one of the UK’s most pressing infrastructure challenges: delivering the power needed to support the rapid growth of AI and data storage. 

The discussions focused on practical solutions to accelerate network delivery, including connection reform, supply chain resilience, decentralised energy, workforce capability, planning and grid capacity. United Infrastructure opened the event with a presentation on balancing the delivery of electricity infrastructure with the pace of economic growth before leading a wide-ranging discussion on the challenges and opportunities facing the sector. 

The request for United Infrastructure to lead the development of the connection archetypes reflects the company’s role in bringing together organisations from across the supply chain to identify practical solutions that can be adopted across the industry. 

Akshay Kaul, Director General of Infrastructure at Ofgem, said: 

“The rapid growth in data centres presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the energy system. It was encouraging to see how technologies like fuel cells could complement the grid, and these insights will be important in shaping a flexible, resilient and future-ready energy system.” 

Neil Armstrong, CEO of United Infrastructure, said: 

“To be asked to lead on such an important piece of work is a real credit to the engineering teams we have within United Infrastructure. As demand for data centres grows, we are seeing unprecedented interest in our gas-to-power solutions. Being recognised in this way is testament to the work we are doing to accelerate ‘time to power’ for data centres across the UK, many of which are now frequently classed as nationally significant infrastructure.” 

The Cardiff roundtable reinforced the importance of collaboration across the entire electricity infrastructure supply chain. Representatives from network operators, data centre developers, technology providers, utilities, legal advisers, government and infrastructure businesses shared first-hand experience of the barriers to delivery and explored how greater standardisation and collaboration could help unlock investment and accelerate projects. 

That collaborative approach reflects the direction of travel across the wider industry. Through the forthcoming Electricity Networks Sector Growth Plan, BEAMA and the Electricity Networks Association are bringing together manufacturers, civil engineering contractors, infrastructure providers and service companies to create a stronger, more coordinated voice for the electricity networks supply chain. The initiative will focus on shaping regulation, industry standards, workforce development and long-term investment to support the UK’s accelerating programme of network expansion. 

United Infrastructure sees the development of standard connection archetypes as a practical example of this collaborative approach in action. By bringing together expertise from across the sector, the programme aims to establish consistent design principles that can streamline approvals, improve delivery efficiency and support faster connections for nationally significant infrastructure projects. 

Following the Cardiff roundtable, United Infrastructure will now begin working with industry stakeholders to develop the first suite of connection archetypes for data centres, substations, high voltage compounds and other common connection arrangements. The work will draw on expertise from across the electricity infrastructure supply chain and will be shared with stakeholders to help inform future network delivery and regulatory discussions. 

As demand for electricity continues to increase through AI, data centres and wider electrification, the initiative represents an important step towards creating a more coordinated approach to infrastructure delivery, ensuring the UK is better placed to support future economic growth while accelerating the transition to a more resilient and connected energy system.

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