14. August 2025
Flexible connections are a key component of the energy transition as they enable the connection of Low Carbon Technologies (LTCs) to the grid faster than would otherwise be possible under a ‘normal’ firm connection. Low Voltage Grid monitoring can be combined with flexible connection agreements to only ‘dim’ the connection when it is necessary based on real network loads. As opposed to a more rigid dimming model based on predictions and estimates, which inherently won’t be accurate all the time.
What is a flexible connection?
Essentially flexible connections enable or allow the network operator to intervene (e.g. turndown or turnup the asset connected) to some degree to retain network stability without having to take actions elsewhere in the network e.g. redispatching other resources and thereby incurring costs. The person/organisation wanting to connect essentially agrees to adjust their behaviour according to the grid’s needs in exchange for getting connected to the grid faster. Flexible connections are also referred to as non-firm connections or constrained connections.
[Note: Flexible connections can be at any point in the grid. In this article we are only looking at the topic of connections to the low voltage grid, and not to the medium or high voltage grids]
How do Flexible Connections tend to work?
Sometimes they simply take the form of a contract in which the network operator dictates time windows in which the customer must act in a certain way e.g. between 16:00 and 21:00 the load must not exceed 50kW. An alternative is for the network operator to require the customer to be able to react to signals from the network operator e.g. the customer must be able to reduce their load below 50kW within 15 mins of receiving a signal and the network operator can send such a signal up to 2 times per day between the hours of 6:00 and 23:00, and the period of reduced can be up to 4 hours in duration. There are other forms, but essentially the connection is coupled with some form of agreement with the network operator to change their behaviour from time to time.
How can LV monitoring help enable flexible connections?
The core principle behind a flexible connection is that the load being connected is at risk of causing an over-load of some variety. This risk won’t be constant and will be based on an estimation. So, what LV monitoring does is make this exact i.e. the load is only reduced according to the actual state of the network at any given time. On a technical level this involves installing an LV monitoring system at the secondary substation to which the customer wishes to connect. This is then coupled to a system which can send signals to the resources in question which need to be dimmed. All of this is possible with SMIGHT’s GRID2 solution and Copilot Module. This benefits the one wanting to connect as they are more likely to be able to operate their load to its full capacity more of the time. The grid operator benefits as the customer will use the network more and therefore pay higher grid fees.
