Sectors

Deep expertise across
the energy landscape

Arcform operates across the three primary sectors of complex electricity network infrastructure in the UK — private networks, transmission, and IDNO. Each brings distinct regulatory, technical, and commercial requirements. Our IDNO focus is deliberately EHV: large-scale industrial and commercial networks, not low-voltage housing estates.

01

IDNO Projects

Arcform is pursuing its IDNO distribution licence from Ofgem with a deliberate focus: EHV-connected infrastructure for large-scale industrial and commercial customers. This is not a conventional IDNO play — it is an extension of our core specialism into the regulated ownership of complex, high-voltage networks serving demanding users.

Discuss your IDNO project
Electrical network infrastructure

A different kind of IDNO

Most IDNOs focus on adopting low-voltage networks serving new housing estates — a well-established model that Arcform has no interest in competing in. Our focus is different: the EHV distribution networks that connect large energy users, generation assets, and complex commercial sites to the public distribution system at 11kV and above.

These are the networks that sit at the boundary between private infrastructure and regulated distribution — technically demanding, commercially significant, and poorly served by operators without genuine EHV expertise. That is precisely where Arcform operates.

Licence in progress. Arcform is actively pursuing its IDNO distribution licence with Ofgem. We are engaging with prospective clients now to ensure we can move quickly once licensed. If you have a large-scale EHV network that needs a long-term regulated owner, we would welcome an early conversation.

What we are building towards

Once licensed, our IDNO capability will be specifically designed for complex, high-voltage assets:

Adoption of EHV distribution networks at 11kV, 33kV, and above — connecting large industrial, commercial, and generation customers
Long-term regulated ownership and operation of adopted networks — with the technical infrastructure to manage EHV assets properly
Pre-adoption technical assessment and commercial structuring for developers and asset owners seeking a regulated network solution
DNO interface management — point-of-connection agreements, protection coordination, and ongoing relationship management
Regulatory compliance, Ofgem reporting, and licence obligations — handled by people who understand both the regulation and the engineering
Network optimisation and performance management for adopted assets — not just ownership, but active stewardship

Who we are looking to work with

Developers and owners of large-scale generation assets whose connection infrastructure sits at EHV distribution voltage. Industrial and commercial sites with significant on-site networks that could benefit from regulated ownership structures. Investors acquiring energy assets who need a specialist regulated operator for the network component. Projects where the boundary between private network and regulated distribution creates complexity that requires expert navigation.

Generation Assets Data Centres Industrial Sites Energy Storage Large Commercial
02

Private Networks

Private wire and behind-the-meter networks are growing rapidly in importance as large energy users seek to reduce costs, improve resilience, and access renewable generation directly. Getting the design, ownership, and operation right is critical to realising those benefits.

Talk about private networks
Private network electrical infrastructure

The private network landscape

Private electricity networks — those not regulated as part of the public distribution system — serve an enormous range of purposes. They might carry power from an on-site generation asset to a collocated load. They might connect multiple buildings on a campus under common ownership. They might serve an industrial estate or logistics hub where energy costs are a significant operational factor.

What these networks have in common is that their performance directly affects the economic outcomes of the people who depend on them. A poorly designed or operated private network is not just an inconvenience — it is a cost, a risk, and a constraint on the business it serves.

What we offer

Network design review and optimisation for proposed private wire schemes
Commercial structuring of private network arrangements — including wheeling charges, access agreements, and connection terms
Ownership of private network assets on behalf of developers and investors
Long-term operation and maintenance — including 24/7 monitoring and emergency response
Interface management with grid connection and metering parties
Regulatory advice on the boundary between regulated and unregulated network activity
EHV private network expertise — transformers, switchgear, protection, and cabling at 11kV to 132kV

The EHV difference. Most private network operators work at lower voltages. Arcform's specialism is extra-high voltage — the 33kV, 66kV, and 132kV connections that serve the largest, most complex sites. This is where the technical challenges are greatest and where the consequences of getting things wrong are most significant.

Typical private network clients

Data centres with significant on-site power infrastructure. Industrial estates seeking shared energy services. University and hospital campuses with complex internal networks. Logistics hubs and distribution centres with high-demand connections. Developers of integrated energy communities combining generation, storage, and demand.

Data Centres Industrial Estates Campuses Logistics Hubs Energy Communities
03

Transmission

Transmission-connected projects represent the highest end of the complexity spectrum in UK electricity infrastructure. They require deep technical knowledge, extensive regulatory experience, and a strong understanding of how National Grid and NESO frameworks operate in practice.

Discuss transmission
Transmission infrastructure at dusk

Transmission in the UK context

The GB transmission system — operated by National Grid Electricity System Operator (NESO) — operates at voltages of 132kV and above and carries electricity over long distances from major generation assets to the distribution network. Connecting to it, or building assets that interface with it, involves some of the most demanding technical and regulatory processes in the industry.

The scale of the UK's clean energy transition means that transmission connections are increasingly in demand — from large-scale offshore wind, solar farms, and battery storage to major interconnectors and industrial facilities. Queue times are long. Requirements are exacting. The need for expert guidance has never been greater.

Our transmission capabilities

Transmission connection strategy and route-to-grid assessment for large generation and storage projects
Grid code compliance — understanding and meeting the technical standards required for transmission connection
Connection application management with NESO and the relevant transmission owner (National Grid ET, SSEN, SPT)
Interface substation design, specification, and commissioning support
Technical due diligence on transmission-connected assets for investors and lenders
Ongoing compliance and performance monitoring for transmission-connected projects
Advisory on the evolving connections reform programme and its implications for project timelines

Navigating queue reform. The NESO connections reform programme is fundamentally changing how projects secure transmission capacity. Projects that understand the new framework and position themselves correctly will gain significant advantage over those that do not. Arcform's team is working with clients through this transition in real time.

Scale and complexity

Transmission projects are, by definition, large. The assets are significant, the regulatory obligations are extensive, and the consequences of errors — technical or commercial — are material. Our team has the depth of experience to operate at this scale: we have been involved in major infrastructure origination, development, and financing across the energy sector for a combined period of decades.

Offshore Wind Large-Scale Solar Grid-Scale Storage Major Demand Interconnectors

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