The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has confirmed revised timelines for the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) following the release of updated generation cost data by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). NESO and DESNZ will re-run SSEP modelling to integrate the latest data, extending delivery milestones. Pathway options will be submitted to the Secretary of State in summer 2026, with public consultation on the draft plan in early 2027 and final publication in autumn 2027.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has reported on progress in delivering reformed electricity network connection offers, working with network companies, Distribution Network Operators (DNOs), Transmission Owners, and the Energy Networks Association (ENA), which is developing a cross-industry dashboard to improve transparency. NESO stated that around 88% of the first tranche of Gate 2 protected offers have been issued, with the remainder in final processing, including offers to transmission-connected projects and instructions enabling DNOs to issue distribution offers, while DNOs have begun issuing revised offers to customers. The remaining activity is limited, with fewer than ten Transmission Owner Construction Offers per Transmission Owner required, and all parties remain on track to meet deadlines of mid-April for transmission and mid-May for distribution, with measures in place to avoid disadvantaging customers where rework is needed. NESO also reported issuing more than 1,000 Gate 1 offers to support customer planning and securities refunds, and confirmed that, following completion of this tranche, it will proceed to the next phase covering projects with connection dates before 2030, with the forthcoming dashboard and ongoing methodology consultation intended to support transparency and the next application window.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has issued a ten working day notice, confirming that the evidence submission window for the one-off 'Gate 2 Whole Queue' exercise will close on Tuesday, 26 August 2025. NESO has introduced several procedural improvements—including enhanced customer support, a new submission validation process that allows amendments to existing submissions, and an expedited remediation route for formal complaints—to ensure the 'Gate 2 Whole Queue' exercise is reordered fairly and efficiently. NESO will issue revised timeline plans once the submission window has closed.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has confirmed that it will issue the ten working days’ notice before closing the one-off ‘Gate 2 Whole Queue’ evidence submission window no earlier than 11 August 2025—extending the previously announced date of 4 August 2025 by one week.

Nuclear Events Web-based System: A system run jointly by the IAEA, the NEA and WANO. The purpose of NEWS is to provide fast, flexible and authoritative information on the occurrence of nuclear events that are of interest to the international community. NEWS has been established to cover all significant events in nuclear power plants, research reactors, nuclear fuel cycle facilities and occurrences involving radiation sources or the transport of radioactive material.

See AQSE.

Nuclear Fuel Centre of Excellence: A Centre run jointly by NNL and The University of Manchester's Dalton Nuclear Institute, and based in their respective facilities at sites in Manchester, Preston and West Cumbria.

The National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) of the Food Standards Agency has been granted new investigative powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act and Criminal Justice and Public Order Act. The powers enable NFCU investigators to independently apply for and execute search warrants, respond to intelligence and lead criminal investigations into food fraud. The changes aim to enhance the unit's operational effectiveness while reducing reliance on police and local authority resources. The announcement comes as the NFCU marks its 10th anniversary of operations targeting food crime in England and Wales.

The Food Standards Agency's National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) has conducted a significant operation in London, uncovering 48 sheep carcasses stored in unrefrigerated vans. The meat, lacking proper traceability and suspected of undergoing illegal processing, was seized as part of ongoing efforts to combat the trade in illegal meat products. Five individuals were arrested and interviewed in connection with the incident, though they have since been released under investigation. The NFCU is collaborating with partner agencies to address the food safety risks associated with this discovery and to bolster measures protecting public health. This case underscores the importance of maintaining rigorous food safety standards and traceability throughout the supply chain.

Restructuring & Insolvency analysis: The High Court sanctioned two restructuring plans under Part 26A of the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006) implementing a consensual US$9.6 billion financial restructuring of the New Fortress Energy group. Applying established principles, the court emphasised overwhelming creditor support, the fairness of the value allocation methodology and the adequacy of the information provided to creditors. The judgment also confirms the court’s continued willingness to sanction sophisticated cross-border restructurings incorporating third-party releases and expressly endorses the use of English Part 26a plans as an example of permissible ’good forum shopping’, reinforcing the attractiveness of the English restructuring plan regime for complex international restructurings. Produced in partnership with Hannah Drozdz, professional support lawyer at Gateley Legal.

NFTs or non-fungible tokens have become a hot topic in recent years. They have been embraced by many sectors such as art, gaming, financial and media, with companies such as Starbucks using them in their reward programmes, demonstrating mainstream practical commercial applications and the potential to pervade other sectors. NFTs are already being used for everything from tickets to real-world events to artwork or digital items which may be created and resold in the ‘Metaverse’. This Practice Note considers the legal and regulatory issues that NFTs have faced to date and may face in the future and covers the following: • Understanding NFTs • Using NFTs • Dealing with NFTs • Intellectual property rights and NFTs • Licensing NFTs • Are NFTs regulated? • NFTs and money laundering • NFTs and tax • Consumer law and NFTs • Advertising regulation • Data security • NFTs in the court room • Key practical questions to be considered in any NFT project Understanding NFTs Real-world applications of NFTs There are an ever-changing

Law360, London: The National Farmers Union (NFU) Mutual Insurance Society has argued that it does not owe a group of hospitality and farming businesses approximately £10.5m for alleged losses after coronavirus (COVID-19) took hold in Britain because their policies did not cover the pandemic.