PM0153: System Access Reform. Emergency Return to Service (ERTS): Profiling Review. | National Energy System Operator

Summary

NESO has raised PM0153 to revisit the criteria for recalling transmission circuits with longer Emergency Return to Service (ERTS) times during winter. The modification mandates use of a Winter Risk Policy Form to document system margins, constraints, mitigations, and recall plans, with the aim of clearing more winter outages without breaching security standards. It is self-assessed as low impact on Transmission Owners, Transmission Licensees, Generators, and System Operators, with a Panel Decision governance route.

Why it matters

The change is a procedural tightening of outage management to push more winter maintenance through without triggering security breaches, which matters because the Transmission Acceleration Action Plan needs network reinforcement done at the same time as the system runs tighter margins. The unseen cost sits with generators who may be recalled from longer ERTS at short notice, trading a documented Winter Risk Policy for genuine flexibility on when circuits can be taken out.

Key facts

• •Modification reference PM0153 under System Access Reform workstream
• •Status: Proposal Raised (as of 20 February 2026)
• •Governance route: Panel Decision
• •Mandates Winter Risk Policy Form documenting margins, constraints, mitigations, recall plans
• •Self-assessed as Low impact on TOs, TLs, generators, and SOs
• •Proposer: Maria Lopez (NESO)
• •Justified by reference to Transmission Acceleration Action Plan and 2030 clean-power goals

Areas affected

Related programmes