Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department made an impact assessment of the prioritisation of AI data centres in the grid connection process.

In the recent consultation ‘Accelerating electricity network connections for strategic demand’ Government proposed new measures to prioritise grid connections for projects of the highest economic and social value. The consultation included analysis of the potential impact of these measures, which may apply to demand projects of all types, including AI data centres. Government will publish the consultation response in due course.