ENA Connect Direct is an online platform that offers a simpler and faster way to manage domestic connections.
The digital service helps installers to easily connect residential low carbon technology (LCT) to the grid. It utilises AI to automate assessments and escalate more complex applications to the networks.
One year on from the pilot launch in December last year, over 35,000 applications have been processed and 4,000 users have now registered on the platform. New features and capabilities were added over the course of the year.
David Boyer, Director of Electricity Systems at Energy Networks Association, said:
“We proud of launching this innovative and practical product that thousands of customers have now used. When we launched the service last year, we sought to significantly cut down on waiting times for installers. Previously, there were paper forms and thousands of devices to pick from, which only slowed things down. Now, installers can receive instant approvals for routine applications.
“Not only that, ENA Connect Direct hosts data about the low carbon technology models available on the UK market. This means that applications can be automated, saving even more time.
"There are new features being released all the time. A recent update automatically added the Meter Point Administration Number (MPAN) to applications based on the customer’s address. We are currently developing the next phase of the project, which focuses on creating even more ways to simplify the application process, so 2025 will bring further improvements."
Notes to editor
- The pilot was launched in December 2023.
- Installers can logon to ENA Connect Direct via the ENA website.
- The platform is available for standard domestic solar panels, heat pumps, EV chargers and battery system applications across the UK.
- Demand for electricity has evolved significantly in the last 60 years. Residential households with low-carbon technologies increased their peak usage to almost 15kW compared to an average usage in the 1960s of less than 1kW.
About us
Energy Networks Association (ENA) is the industry body representing the energy networks. Our members include every major electricity network operator in the UK. The electricity networks are at the heart of the energy transition. They directly employ more than 26,000 people in the UK, including 1,500 apprentices. They are spending and investing £33bn in our electricity grids over the coming years, to ensure safe, reliable and secure energy supplies for the millions of homes and businesses reliant on power every day.
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