Connect | London // Opening Keynote: Powering the AI Economy - Can UK grid reform unlock data center growth?

The UK is at a pivotal moment where ambitions for digital infrastructure - especially the rapid growth of AI-driven data centers - are colliding with the physical and regulatory limits of the electricity grid. A surge in connection requests, largely driven by hyperscale and AI workloads, has created an unprecedented backlog, with projects facing delays of up to a decade and queues far exceeding system capacity. This strain highlights the urgent need for a more strategic approach to grid access, as timely electricity connections have become a critical bottleneck for the nation’s digital economic growth.

Join this session to hear:

• How policymakers and regulators, including Ofgem, NESO, and the UK Government, are implementing comprehensive reforms to modernise the grid connections process
• What the replacement of the traditional “first-come, first-served” models mean and what prioritising nationally significant projects - such as data centers and AI Growth Zones means for grid integration in the long run
• How these changes can unlock the next wave of investment, as well as examining the intersection of energy policy, digital infrastructure, and the roles of investors, developers, and regulators