Today (19th December 2025) the National Energy System Operator (NESO) published its first draft of the promised changes to how Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) charges will be calculated going forward.

What has been announced?

Under the revised methodology, the average TNUoS charges for 2026/27 are now expected to increase by 63%. While this remains a significant rise, it is approximately 30% lower than the estimates published earlier this year, offering some limited relief compared to previous forecasts.

However, it is important to note that NESO has confirmed the five-year forward projection remains unchanged. This means TNUoS charges are still expected to increase by 69% over that period, meaning the long-term cost impact for energy-intensive businesses continues to be a serious concern.

What’s next?

While the figures published today are not the final draft, they highlight NESO’s intention for how these charges will be collected from next spring. The System Operator has reiterated that the final publication of the figures will be made at the end of January, before implementation on 1st April 2026.

What can be done?

Our work in partnership with the NFU to lobby against these changes is ongoing, and we are keen to strengthen this effort with real-world evidence. Demonstrating the impact the changes will have on businesses in practical terms is vital.

If you haven’t already done so, we encourage you to calculate how the revised TNUoS charges could affect your business. The calculator has now been updated in line with today’s figures, and all submissions are anonymously aggregated to support our lobbying efforts to reduce the burden on agricultural businesses.

Calculate your TNUoS impact here
 

How can I minimise the impact?

There are several ways to reduce your exposure and blunt the impact of these charges, a few initial considerations include:

• Review your energy contract – Look at the terms of your contract to explore what charges will impact you going forward. Changing your contract could help blunt some of this impact in the short term.
• Optimise operations - Load shifting, capacity reviews or Power Purchase Agreements can help lower overall costs, so make sure you are using energy as efficiently as possible.
• Check exemptions - Some businesses may benefit from Non-Final Demand status or Small Supplier Exemption reliefs. It’s worth exploring if any exemptions are available to you.
• Consider on site generation – Depending on your organisation’s needs, renewables or other on site generation could help reduce the overall dependence on energy from the grid and reduce cost while improving sustainability credentials.

If you would like to discuss what these changes could mean for your site, review future cost forecasts, or explore potential mitigation strategies, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team of experts.