To protect the time allocated for public engagement and consultation on the draft SSEP, without compromising NESO’s deadline to publish the final SSEP in December 2026, there can be no delay to: • NESO’s presentation of the SSEP pathway options to the Secretary of State; • The Secretary of State’s selection of a pathway option; or • NESO’s preparation for the consultation and community engagement activities. The draft SSEP should be published for consultation by the end of February 2026 at th...

To protect the time allocated for public engagement and consultation on the draft SSEP, without compromising NESO’s deadline to publish the final SSEP in December 2026, there can be no delay to: • NESO’s presentation of the SSEP pathway options to the Secretary of State; • The Secretary of State’s selection of a pathway option; or • NESO’s preparation for the consultation and community engagement activities. The draft SSEP should be published for consultation by the end of February 2026 at the very latest and earlier if possible. The Secretary of State should decide upon the chosen SSEP pathway in sufficient time to enable this. (Recommendati Type: conclusion | Number: 23 | Response status: not_addressed Government response: NESO is undertaking extensive engagement on the SSEP which is already underway, ahead of the public consultation which will be published in 2026. NESO is conducting societal engagement through various means including focus groups and questionnaires. We are commit