NGED and Yottar launch digital platform for grid capacity assessment

National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) is partnering with Yottar to develop an automated digital platform for grid capacity assessment, a move designed to directly address the increasing demand from new electricity network connections. This collaboration leverages NGED’s deep engineering expertise and operational understanding of its distribution network, which serves 8 million customers across the Midlands, South West, and South Wales, with Yottar’s specialized data modelling and software development capabilities. The platform's core commercial logic centers on providing rapid insight into potential connection opportunities and constraints, thereby streamlining the connection process for developers of data centers, EV charging infrastructure, renewable generation, battery storage, and industrial loads. By automating detailed network models, the partnership aims to enhance efficiency for network connection engineers and provide clarity on where and when grid capacity can be accessed across NGED's operational regions. The undisclosed value of this development-stage partnership suggests a focus on long-term operational benefits and market positioning rather than an immediate financial transaction. For National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), a leading electricity distribution network operator in the UK serving 8 million customers, this partnership represents a strategic move to enhance its operational efficiency and facilitate the rapid integration of new demand across its Midlands, South West, and South Wales service areas. The development of this automated platform directly addresses NGED's challenge of managing growing connection requests from critical sectors like data centers, EV charging infrastructure, and renewable generation. While Yottar's specific track record is not detailed, its involvement underscores the increasing reliance on specialized data modelling and software development firms to solve complex infrastructure challenges within the grid sector. This collaboration, announced on 2026-03-16, reflects the broader industry imperative for grid operators to innovate in response to the accelerating electrification and decentralization of energy systems across the UK.