Provision of network investment forecasting and mass low carbon technology connection tools

Tender description

Northern Powergrid intends to purchase the provision of network investment forecasting and mass low carbon technology connection tools. The network investment forecasting tool will model a range of scenarios with different future energy requirements, spread geographically across Northern Powergrid’s low voltage distribution network. The mass low carbon technology connections tool will deliver efficiencies by automating and streamlining the process for optioneering, costing and approval of bulk applications for low carbon technologies. Lot 1: Northern Powergrid intends to purchase the provision of network investment forecasting and mass low carbon technology connection tools. The network investment forecasting tool will model a range of scenarios with different future energy requirements, spread geographically across Northern Powergrid’s low voltage distribution network. The tool will identify forecast thermal, voltage and earth loop impedance network constraints, identifying the optimal intervention (or set of interventions) from a configurable solution set to resolve these constraints for a customisable forward-looking period (up to and including year 2050). The tool will also provide forecast expenditure on load related network investment and details of forecast future network interventions. The tool will display the outputs in various formats including reports (data tables and PDFs), interactive maps and online dashboards. The network investment forecasting tool will forecast the impact of increasing load/generation on the network, specifically: • Addition of domestic low carbon technologies at existing points of connection. • Addition of low carbon technologies at existing non-domestic points of connection. • Changes to underlying profile assumptions e.g. changing the annual electricity consumption associated with each profile class to account for improvements in energy efficiency. • Standalone new connections of low carbon technologies. • New connections / increases in housing stock. Data received as additional properties (with some property type information) per secondary substation per year. • All items will be distributed based on total allocations / data provided at a secondary substation level or association with specific existing property Unique Property Reference Numbers. The mass low carbon technology connections tool will deliver efficiencies by automating and streamlining the process for optioneering, costing and approval of bulk applications for low carbon technologies. The tool will be aimed at external users (e.g. local authorities) who have regional decarbonisation plans which require the deployment of large amounts of low carbon technologies within a defined area. The tools need to provide data in a consistent manner, in line with other similar tools currently used by Northern Powergrid. Both tools are required to be delivered no later than September 2025. EA Technology Limited is the only known supplier that has the experience and tools available to meet this requirement within the required timescale.