National Policy Statements for energy: habitats regulations assessments
A habitats regulations assessment is required for proposed plans or projects likely to have a significant effect on international sites of scientific interest.
The energy National Policy Statements (NPSs) cover the overarching needs case for different types of energy infrastructure, fossil fuel electricity generation, renewable electricity generation, gas and oil infrastructure, electricity networks and nuclear energy generation.
The habitats regulations assessment is a high-level and strategic assessment of the policy content of the NPSs and the potential effects of energy infrastructure development.
A habitats regulations assessments was undertaken on updated EN-1 to EN-5 in 2023.
In 2025 EN-1, EN-3 and EN-5 were further updated and a habitats regulations assessment undertaken on the three updated NPSs (2025).
Assessment of current EN-2 and EN-4 is provided in the habitats regulations assessment of EN-1 to EN-5 (2023).