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Final tRESP launch and next round of RESP Forums | National Energy System Operator

NESO·guidance·medium·30 Jan 2026·source document

Summary

NESO announces webinars to present its transitional Regional Energy Strategic Plan (tRESP), published 30 January, plus fourth round of RESP Forums across February. The tRESP will inform distribution network operators' plans for ED3 price control covering 2028-33. Over 2,800 people attended the first three forum rounds in 2025.

Why it matters

This is implementation guidance for an already-decided planning framework, not new policy. The regional planning approach centralises energy infrastructure decisions at NESO rather than pricing coordination through market mechanisms — creating information bottlenecks where price signals would allocate resources more efficiently.

Key facts

  • tRESP published 30 January 2026
  • ED3 price control period covers 2028-33
  • Over 2,800 attendees at first three forum rounds
  • 11 regional forums scheduled across February 2026
  • Full RESP methodology consultation closes 16 January 2026

Timeline

Effective date30 Jan 2026

Areas affected

distributionplanning

Related programmes

RIIO-ED2Strategic Spatial Energy Plan
Memo

Final tRESP launch and next round of RESP Forums | National Energy System Operator Show/Hide Menu Toggle Add to favourites Close tooltip Sign in to add this page to your favourites Sign in or register Show favourites Close Close tooltip Sign in or register to manage your favourites Sign in or register Help You are now signed in Visit My NESO account to view and manage your dataset subscriptions. Maybe later Go to your account Final tRESP launch and next round of RESP Forums Strategic planning 22 Jan 2026 - 4 minute read If you have an interest in the energy system in your local area, with a particular focus on our new Regional Energy System Planning (RESP) role, you can now register to take part in our tRESP launch webinar on 30 January and our fourth round of RESP Forums taking place this February across Scotland, Wales and England. In November 2023, we were given a new role by Ofgem to develop regional energy strategic plans (RESPs) for Scotland, Wales and the nine English regions. The purpose of these plans is to accelerate changes to the energy distribution networks, ensuring local areas get the energy systems they need to help meet local and national goals, while minimising costs to energy bill payers. NESO is committed to ensuring the views of our customers and stakeholders are at the heart of our work to plan the future energy system, and our tRESP launch webinar and the RESP Forums will give you the opportunity to hear about NESO’s work and get involved in the conversation on strategic energy planning. Attend our tRESP launch webinar tRESP will be published on 30 January. The transitional RESP (tRESP) is the first publication in the journey towards transforming and improving local energy infrastructure, developing bespoke plans for Scotland, Wales and nine English regions. In September 2025, we launched a six-week tRESP consultation, inviting customers and stakeholders to submit their feedback on tRESP. The insights, opinions and views collated via the consultation will inform the final tRESP publication. The electricity distribution network operators (DNOs) will then use the tRESP to develop their plans for the third electricity distribution price control period, also known as ED3, which covers 2028-33. tRESP is the bridge between the current approach to energy distribution network planning and the full RESP approach which will be in place at the end of 2028. When the final tRESP is published on 30 January, we will be holding a launch webinar. If you are thinking of attending a RESP Forum (see below for further information on the Forums), we would encourage you to attend the tRESP launch webinar so that you are up to date on the background, development and progress of tRESP. tRESP webinar Date: 30 January Time: 1-2.30pm Register here Attend our fourth round of RESP Forums The RESP Forums are a key part of our approach, helping us get to know the nations and regions we’ll be working with, to share our latest progress and thinking, and to invite feedback that we can use to shape our work. Thank you to everyone who joined us for our first three RESP Forums , held in the spring, summer and autumn 2025. Over 2,800 people attended the sessions, helping to shape the approach to the delivery of our new RESP role. We are now looking to build on these conversations at our fourth round of forums in February. The focus this time will be on two key items: the final tRESP Full RESP -and what happens next after the RESP Methodology Consultation closes on 16 January 2026. Agenda for our February 2026 RESP Forums Progress updates since the autumn 2025 forums Final tRESP including strategic energy need update Full RESP update Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) update Next steps Q&A How to register To sign up for one of the online forums for your area, follow the registration links below. RESP nation / region Date Time Webinar Link North West 3 February 1 - 2:30pm Register London 9 February 2 - 3:30pm Register North East & Yorkshire 9 February 2 - 3:30pm Register South West 10 February 2 - 3:30pm Register Wales 10 February 10 - 11:30am Register East 11 February 11am - 12:30pm Register West Midlands 11 February 1:30pm - 3pm Register East Midlands 12 February 1:30pm - 3pm Register Central England 12 February 2pm - 3:30pm Register Scotland 12 February 11am - 12:30pm Register South East 13 February 1 - 2:30pm Register More information on our RESP Forums The forums are held online. The same content is presented at each meeting except for any information specific to the nations and regions. So, you only need to attend the forum that is relevant to your local area. However, if you have interests in more than one nation or region, you’re welcome to join multiple sessions. Further information on the tRESP consultation and RESP methodology : tRESP: We held two webinars to launch the tRESP consultation, on 23 and 29 September. Download a copy of the slides and access the consultation document . Methodology: On 17 November 2025, we launched the RESP Methodology Consultation. View the slides and watch the recording of the launch webinar on the RESP Methodology website pages . SSEP Technical Webinar In addition to the tRESP launch webinar, we would also like to draw your attention to another important NESO webinar taking place 30 January, 10:30-11:45am : the SSEP Technical webinar. The Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) will set out a pathway for energy generation and storage infrastructure rolled out from 2030 to 2050. The SSEP will be used as a GB-level input to the RESP process, to ensure that the pathways developed for each nation and region are coherent with national GB ambitions. This webinar will include a deep dive into the updated SSEP modelling, you'll hear the latest findings, get an update on pathway appraisal and have the chance to ask questions. Register via this link . More information on RESP Find out more about Regional Energy Strategic Planning . Similar reading Strategic planning NESO launches new feedback window on three RESP Methodology… 2 Mar 2026 - 1 minute read NESO today launches a new two‑week feedback window 2–16 March on three areas of the Regional Energy… Strategic planning Help to shape three areas of the RESP methodology - 2 to 16… 20 Feb 2026 - 3 minute read NESO is taking the next important step in developing the Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs)… Strategic planning NESO publishes first-of-a-kind transitional Regional Energy… 29 Jan 2026 - 5 minute read On 30 January 2026, NESO launched a first-of-its kind transitional Regional Energy Strategic Plan … logo--facebook