Northern Powergrid

We have developed a bid modelling tool to allow bidders to model utilisation price, availability price and bid capacity before submitting their bids. The bid modeller calculates the potential revenue of a bid and compares the bid price to the maximum utilisation price (for Scheduled Utilisation) or to the maximum effective price (for Scheduled Availability + Operational Utilisation). The tool covers all the competitions in the October tender i.e. both products, all zones and all service periods.

For the Scheduled Availability + Operational Utilisation product, bidders are free to determine the bid price for each component i.e. we do not require a certain split between availability price bid and utilisation price bid. The modeller calculates the ‘effective price’ of a bid, taking into account the anticipated dispatch rate as well as the bid’s availability price and utilisation price.

The bid modeller is available on the ‘documentation’ tab.

We have launched our October tender, the first in a series of 5 consecutive monthly tenders throughout the Autumn & Winter of 2025/26.

About the Autumn/Winter 2025/26 series of tenders

In this series of tenders, we are seeking demand turn down /generation turn up to enable us to defer network reinforcement. We will procure two different flexibility products:

·     In HV zones (up to 11kV), the ScheduledAvailability + Operational Utilisation product dispatched on a week ahead basis.

·     In LV zones (up to 415V), the ScheduledUtilisation product.

The requirements for each zone are presented in a series of weekly service periods to more closely reflect the flexibility needs, so maximising the value available to bidders.

We have simplified the process forbidding into our tenders:

·     We have removed the need to ‘confirm asset entry’ into competitions. However, we do strongly advise bidders to register assets early so that asset eligibility can be confirmed before bidding.This avoids the risk of entering a bid that includes assets that are not eligible.

·     There is no need to submit a ‘Form of Tender’.

·     There is no need to submit information on baselining unless you propose to use a self-nominated baseline instead of aNorthern Powergrid reference baseline. See section 7 of Scope and Specification document on the ‘Documents’ tab for more information about baselining.

For the Scheduled Availability + Operational Utilisation product, dispatch instructions will be issued on a week ahead basis i.e. by close of business on a Thursday for services for the following week (Monday to Sunday). The instruction acceptance should be confirmed by noon on Friday (the day after the dispatch instruction).

The timetable for the monthly tenders is:

About the October 2025 tender

In this tender we expect to procure up to 4 MW for 3-30November across 3 high voltage (HV) zones and 4 low voltage (LV) zones

Our ITT documents for the October tender are now available on the 'Documentation' tab You can view the competition areas and assess how many of your assets would be eligible from your Piclo Max dashboard or Piclo dashboard. For information on the available budget, please see section 9 of the scope and specification document.

Section 2.2.3 of the Instructions to Bidders document explains how bids are evaluated for each product. This is more complex for the Scheduled Availability + Operational Utilisation  product and is based on comparing a calculated ‘effective price’ per bid that takes into account anticipated dispatch rates as well as the availability price bid and utilisation price bid. Bidders are free to determine the bid price for each component i.e. we do not require a certain split between availability price bid and utilisation price bid.

The bidding window is 09:30 - 16:30 on Monday 13 October 2025.

Bidding for the Summer 2025 tender has now closed and the results will be available shortly.

Our next tender will be the first in our series on monthly tenders for services in Autumn/Winter 2025/26. The October tender will be published on 1 October for services 3-30 November 2025.

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Our ITT documents for this tender are now available on the 'Documentation' tab. You can also view the competitions on the Piclo dashboard.

Northern Powergrid launches long term Summer tender.

This summer Northern Powergrid is tendering for demand turn down / generation turn up Scheduled Utilisation flexibility services for winter 2025/26 and winter 2026/27.

Northern Powergrid expects to procure 9 MW for 2025/26 across 5 high voltage (HV) zones and 13 low voltage (LV) zones, rising to 11MW in 2026/27. The NPG ITT document is issued on 7 August.

The requirements for each zone are presented in a series of weekly service periods to more closely reflect the flexibility needs, so maximising the value available to bidders.

The summer tender will be followed by a series of monthly, month-ahead tenders during the autumn and winter of 2025/26 to top up the flexibility capacity as required for winter 2025/26. In those monthly tenders NPg will be procuring the Operational Utilisation + Scheduled Availability product which will be dispatched week ahead.

You can view the competition areas, determine their potential value and assess how many of your assets would be eligible from your Piclo Max dashboard. All further information can be found in the Documentation tab or email Northern Powergrid (flexibility@northernpowergrid.com)

Northern Powergrid’s Long Term Summer Tender

This summer NPg will be tendering for demand turn down / generation turn up Scheduled Utilisation flexibility services for winter 2025/26 and winter 2026/27. This includes several zones that are new to the market.

NPg expects to procure 9 MW for 2025/26 across 7 high voltage (HV) zones and 13 low voltage (LV) zones, rising to 13MW in 2026/27. The requirements published here are indicative. The actual requirements to be tendered will be confirmed in July. These indicative requirements are published now as visibility-only competitions to give potential participants a view of the anticipated zones and revenue potential.

The NPg tender timetable for 2025/26 is designed to enable more flexibility service providers (FSPs) to participate in their market by allowing more time between signposting requirements and tender participation deadlines, as requested by FSPs. This announcement is the start of their extended signposting period prior to the long-term tender in the summer.

The summer tender will be followed by a series of monthly, month-ahead tenders during the autumn and winter of 2025/26 to top up the flexibility capacity as required for winter 2025/26. In those monthly tenders NPg will be procuring the Operational Utilisation + Scheduled Availability product which will be dispatched week ahead.

You can view the competition areas, determine their potential value and assess how many of your assets would be eligible from your Piclo Max dashboard. All further information can be found in the Documentation tab or email Northern Powergrid (flexibility@northernpowergrid.com) 

Our Autumn tender is now live.

We are seeking to procure 1.5 MW across two high voltage (HV) zones and 13 low voltage (LV) zones for winter 24/25 and winter 25/26. This includes a number of zones that are new to the market: the Starbeck HV zone and ten LV zones.

This year we have delivered an enhanced process for forecasting network constraints that gives us more tightly defined service windows, maximising the £/MWh value of flexibility services. We have also delivered a revised approach to pricing LV network constraints. The effect of these on our requirements for LV zones has been significant and created added value through bespoke service windows and bespoke and higher ceiling prices per LV zone.

We are excited to bring these new and higher value opportunities to the market.

Additionally, we are looking for expressions of interest at a further 11 primary substation locations for years starting from 2025/26 through to 2028/29, in order to understand future availability of capacity at these sites. These competitions will be described as ‘visibility only’ on Piclo.

Please visit the ‘Documentation’ tab for more information and view the competitions on the Piclo dashboard.

Bidding has closed in the Summer tender. We’ll soon be publishing our invitation to tender for the Autumn 2024 tender.

Update on flexibility capacity requirements for Summer tender

Now that we have awarded contracts in our Spring 2024 tender, we can confirm the detailed capacity requirements for the Summer tender.

• The full details of these signposted requirements, including service windows and guide prices, can be found on the ‘documentation tab’ and on Piclo Flex.‍
• We are seeking a total of up to 3MW flexibility across two HV and 26 LV locations in Yorkshire and the Northeast. The service windows are for Winter 24/25 and Winter 25/26.
• We will be procuring the pre-fault Scheduled Utilisation product to manage demand constraints at both primary substations and distribution substations, so our requirements are for demand turn down or generation turn up.
• Additionally, we are looking for expressions of interest at a further six primary substation locations for years starting from 2025/26 through to 2028/29. These competitions are described as ‘visibility only’ on Piclo.

A reminder of the timetable for the Summer tender:    

• Deadline to apply to DPS for pre-qualification: 11 July 2024 @ noon
• ITT issued and competitions live on Piclo: 1 August 2024  
• Deadline to confirm asset entry into competitions: 15 August 2024 @ noon`  
• Bidding window opens: 23 August 2024  
• Bidding window  closes: 6 September 2024 @ noon

For information on how to participate in our flexibility tender, please scroll down to our previous announcement.

June 28, 2024

Update on Northern Powergrid Summer 2024 tender

• Following our Spring tender, we can confirm that the Market Weighton Southgate zone will not be included in the Summer tender
• The confirmed timetable for the summer tender is as follows
• Deadline to apply to DPS for pre-qualification: 11 July 2024 @ noon
• ITT issued and competitions live on Piclo: 1 August 2024
• Deadline to confirm asset entry into competitions: 15 August 2024 @ noon`
• Bidding window opens: 23 August 2024 @ noon
• Bidding window closes: 6 September 2024 @ noon

‍Summary of flexibility needs

• We are signposting our need for up to 3MW flexibility across 28 locations in Yorkshire and the Northeast. The service windows are for Winter 24/25 and Winter 25
• More details of these signposted requirements, including service windows and guide prices, can be found on the ‘Documentation tab’ and on the Piclo map. On a temporary basis, these competitions are listed as SIGNPOSTED FOR INFO ONLY until 1 August 2024
• We will be procuring the pre-fault Scheduled Utilisation product to manage demand constraints at both primary substations and distribution substations, so our requirements are for demand turn down or generation turn up
• Additionally, we are looking for expressions of interest at a further six primary substation locations for years starting from 2025/26 through to 2028/29. These competitions are described as ‘visibility only’ on Piclo
• Issue 8 of our regular news update is a special edition for the Summer tender with more information about the requirements, changes to the processes for pre-qualification and contracting, and useful hints and tip
• For some of the locations, the flexible capacity requirement is described as ‘up to’. This means that the capacity we are looking for in the Summer tender will depend on how successfully our Spring tender fulfilled our needs. We expect to be able to confirm the Spring outcomes in mid-July 2024. Then we will update the Summer requirements to a firm capacity, republish these firm requirements, and use them in the ITT and  the live competitions on Piclo

‍How to participate in our flexibility tender

Step 1: If you’re new to Piclo Flex, please create an account. Once you have created an account, we recommend that you upload your flexibility assets. Find out more about uploading assets here.
‍Step 2: If your organisation is not already pre-qualified to provide flexibility services to Northern Powergrid, you should apply for company qualification before the Dynamic Procurement System (DPS) closes.  Find out more about the DPS Application here.
‍Step 3: Once you have passed company qualification and uploaded assets in competition zones, you will be ready to complete company qualification; i.e. to confirm entry of assets into the competitions you wish to bid into.
‍Step 4: Submit a bid during the bidding window. Find out more details about submitting a bid here.When the ITT is published, this will include an Instructions to Bidders document and we recommend that you read this carefully.In the meantime, we're very happy to chat with new or existing providers of flexibility services.

If you have any questions or would like to set up a 1-2-1 meeting with one of our team, email us at flexibility@northernpowergrid.com.Email support@picloflex.com for help with setting up your account or using the Piclo platform.

New DSO flexibility opportunities available via Piclo!

• Our Spring 2024 tender is calling for 5MW flexibility across 19 locations in Yorkshire and the North East
• The service windows are between Winter 24/25 and Winter 25/26
• Northern Powergrid is procuring the pre-fault Scheduled Utilisation product to manage demand constraints at both primary substations and distribution substations, so our requirements are for demand turn down or generation turn up
• Additionally, we are looking for expressions of interest at a further five locations for 2025/26, 2027/28 and 2031/32. These locations are for visibility purposes only
• Full details of these requirements, including service windows and guide prices, can be found on Piclo Flex

Key dates:‍

• Pre-Qualification closes: noon Wednesday 10 April 2024
• Deadline for asset registration: noon Wednesday 1 May 2024
• Deadline to confirm asset entry into competitions: noon Thursday 16 May (or noon Monday 3 June for visibility only competitions)
• Bidding window: Friday 17 May 2024 to noon Monday 3 June

What next?

Step 1: If you are new to Piclo Flex then create an account. After an account has been created, we recommend you upload relevant assets. Find out more about uploading assets on this page. Existing flex providers, please go to Step 3

Step 2: If your organisation is not already pre-qualified to provide flexibility services to Northern Powergrid, you should apply for company qualification before the DPS closes at noon on Wednesday 10 April. Find out more about the DPS application on this page.

Step 3: If you are intending to bid, you will need to confirm entry and ensure your assets are eligible to participate by noon on 16 May. The bidding window opens on Friday, 17 May 2024 and closes at noon on Monday, 03 June.

We are happy to chat with new or existing flexibility service providers. If you have any questions or would like to set up a 1-2-1 meeting with one of our team, email us at flexibility@northernpowergrid.com. Contact support@picloflex.com for help with setting up your account.

We are happy to announce that we are making excellent progress with our preparations to launch our Spring 2024 tender round. We aim to share the details of the locations and capacities we are seeking for Flexibility Services later in February. 

However, interested parties should register for DPS now in readiness of our Spring 2024 competitions. Find out how to register your DPS here.

Bidders please download the ITT Procurement Documents listed in the Documentation tab.

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Northern Powergrid is looking for both demand turn-down and generation turn-up services.

Northern Powergrid will also shortly be calling for flexibility service providers to participate in its Autumn 2023 flexibility tender to provide flexibility between December 2023 & March 2024, and October 2024 & March 2025.

We have DSO flexibility opportunities on Piclo Flex now!

• Flexibility is required across 13 locations
• Earn up to £900/MWh depending on location

Additionally, Northern Powergrid is calling for expressions of interest from flexibility service providers to provider flexibility from Winter 2027/2028

• Flexibility is required across 6 locations
• Find out more about the opportunities on offer via the Piclo Map here as we have provided visibility of flexibility requirements per zone (location).

What next?

Step 1

Create a Piclo Flex account and complete the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) application by 16 October. If you haven’t already, you’ll need to upload your asset data onto the Piclo Flex platform

Step 2

Complete the asset upload and confirm entry on Piclo Flex platform by 24 October 2023. Competition will open on 31 October and close on 07 November.
We’ll be in touch to let you know if you’ve been pre-qualified by 04 December 2023. Those that successfully pass the pre-qualification stage can proceed to the Competition stage

In the meantime, we're very happy to chat with FSPs so if you have any questions or would like to set up a 1-2-1 meeting with one of our team, email us at flexibility@northernpowergrid.com. Email support@picloflex.com for help with setting up your account.