Ofgem has launched a consultation on proposed reforms to electricity demand connections to reduce speculative data centre projects in Great Britain's electricity connections queue and prioritise network capacity for viable developments. The proposals include a refundable Data Centre Commitment Fee of £237,500 to £712,500 per megawatt for relevant large data centre projects, which would be forfeited if a project exits the queue before energisation, and new project-specific queue management milestones requiring developers to demonstrate financial capability, technical readiness, procurement of long-lead electrical equipment and credible end-user demand. The reforms form part of Ofgem's wider Demand Connections Reform programme, developed with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the National Energy System Operator (NESO), and are intended to improve network planning, protect consumers and accelerate connections for investment-ready projects. The consultation closes on 16 September 2026.