NIE Networks

Today, NIE Networks have launched their second flexibility procurement via the Piclo platform.

The requirements published represent the current forecast requirements up to winter 2029/30. There is a total of 6 zones required at this stage, 3 for Investment Deferral and 3 for Short Term Operational Management (STOM).

Across the zones approximately 100 hours of utilisation and 570 MWh of availability is forecast to be required.

Note, there is an accelerated procurement timeline for STOM sites, due to requirements during the Winter 2026/2027 season. Contracts will commence as soon as possible after contract award.

The Piclo platform allows NIE Networks to operate a Qualifying Utilities Dynamic Market (QUDM). Flexibility Service Providers (FSPs) who completed the company qualification process during the last tender do not need to complete this step again. New FSPs should consult our process guidance and complete company qualification ahead of the deadline below to be considered.

All procurement information and supporting documentation is available on the documentation tab.

The key steps to ensuring you can participate are:

1. Create a Piclo account (new Piclo users)
2. Complete an application for company qualification (QUDM application) for NIE Networks review (FSPs not qualified by NIE Networks)
3. Upload assets (All FSPs)

Key deadlines:

STOM Sites

• Company qualification closure: 5^th October 2026 12:00
• Asset upload deadline:  5^th October 2026 12:00
• Bidding opens: 5^th October 2026 12:01
• Bidding closes: 16^th October 2026 17:00

Investment Deferral Sites

• Company qualification closure: 20^th November 2026 12:00
• Asset upload deadline:  20^th November 2026 12:00
• Bidding opens: 20^th November 2026 12:01
• Bidding closes: 7^th December 2026 12:00

‍The full process can be found on the documentation andtimeline tab.

Today, NIE Networks have launched their first flexibility procurement via the Piclo platform. This includes the launch of the utilities dynamic market. The Qualifying Utilities Dynamic Market allows potential providers to register and apply for membership initially, without the need to provide company information for each individual flexibility opportunity. This aims to allow NIE Networks to procure flexibility more quickly, responding to the needs of the distribution network and customers.

The requirements published represent the current forecast requirements for the next three winter periods, as forecasts are updated new zones may be added, those zones will be visible on the Piclo platform.

The current requirements (up to 2028) total to almost 300 hours of utilisation and 400MWh of availability.

All procurement information and supporting documentation is available on the documentation tab.

The key steps to ensuring you can participate are:

1. Create a Piclo account

2. Complete an application for company qualification (qualifying utilities dynamic market application) for NIE Networks review

3. Upload assets

Key deadlines:

Initial company qualification closure: 20^th March 2026 17:00

‍Asset upload for current competitions: 20^th March 2026 17:00

‍Submit commercial bids: 24th April 2026 23:59

‍The full process can be found on the documentation and timeline tab.

NIE Networks owns and operates the electricity network consisting of approximately 2,300km of transmission network and over 58,000km of distribution network, reaching over 966,000 customers in the form of homes, businesses, and farms.

Flexibility services are defined as a customer adjusting their demand and/or generation in response to an instruction from NIE Networks.

Flexibility Services help manage the delivery of our investment plans. While network reinforcement will still be required in the form of upgrading assets and building new portions of the network, NIE Networks, using flexibility services to defer or avoid the need for investment in costly conventional reinforcement solutions.

Through procuring Flexibility Services from customers connected to the distribution system, the stress on network assets can be reduced by customers adjusting their generation or demand.

NIE Networks typical approach to flexibility is to contract availability, ensuring services are ready when called. NIE Networks then send utilisation instructions based on forecast conditions as required.

Background information can be found at NIE Networks' Website

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