{"analytics_identifier":null,"base_path":"/government/publications/strategic-spatial-energy-plan-deadline-extension","content_id":"8fb3b2f7-6485-4d42-9ac1-f4561ff612eb","description":"Direction extending the deadline for the National Energy System Operator to submit the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan from 31 December 2026 to 31 December 2027.","details":{"attachments":[{"accessible":false,"alternative_format_contact_email":"alt.formats@energysecurity.gov.uk","assets":[{"asset_manager_id":"6ad7705bb2ae3ae2dda7bf54","filename":"2026-10-20_Minister_Shanks_to_Fintan_Slye_-_SSEP_licence_extension.pdf"}],"attachment_type":"file","command_paper_number":"","content_type":"application/pdf","file_size":117149,"filename":"2026-10-20_Minister_Shanks_to_Fintan_Slye_-_SSEP_licence_extension.pdf","hoc_paper_number":"","id":"9566844","isbn":"","number_of_pages":1,"title":"SSEP deadline extension: letter to NESO","unique_reference":"","unnumbered_command_paper":false,"unnumbered_hoc_paper":false,"url":"https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6ad7705bb2ae3ae2dda7bf54/2026-10-20_Minister_Shanks_to_Fintan_Slye_-_SSEP_licence_extension.pdf"}],"body":"<div class=\"govspeak\"><p>This letter from the Minister for Energy to the National Energy System Operator (<abbr title=\"National Energy System Operator\">NESO</abbr>) directs <abbr title=\"National Energy System Operator\">NESO</abbr> to submit the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (<abbr title=\"Strategic Spatial Energy Plan\">SSEP</abbr>) to the Secretary of State by 31 December 2027, rather than 31 December 2026.</p>\n\n<p>The revised deadline formally reflects the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strategic-spatial-energy-plan-ssep-timeline-extension\">timeline revision</a> set out on 4 December 2025.</p>\n\n<p>The direction applies only to the first <abbr title=\"Strategic Spatial Energy Plan\">SSEP</abbr>, Ofgem intends to consult during 2027 on amendments to its relevant licences covering the timing of subsequent <abbr title=\"Strategic Spatial Energy Plan\">SSEP</abbr> cycles and related strategic energy planning processes.</p>\n\n</div>","change_history":[{"note":"First published.","public_timestamp":"2026-10-23T10:00:02Z"}],"document_type_label":"Correspondence","emphasised_organisations":["6315817c-ef11-4905-bb4d-b6dca8e9052c"],"featured_attachments":["9566844"],"first_public_at":"2026-10-23T11:00:02.000+01:00","national_applicability":{"england":{"applicable":true,"label":"England"},"northern_ireland":{"alternative_url":"","applicable":false,"label":"Northern Ireland"},"scotland":{"applicable":true,"label":"Scotland"},"wales":{"applicable":true,"label":"Wales"}},"political":false,"tags":{"browse_pages":[]}},"document_type":"correspondence","first_published_at":"2026-10-23T11:00:02+01:00","links":{"available_translations":[{"api_path":"/api/content/government/publications/strategic-spatial-energy-plan-deadline-extension","api_url":"https://www.gov.uk/api/content/government/publications/strategic-spatial-energy-plan-deadline-extension","base_path":"/government/publications/strategic-spatial-energy-plan-deadline-extension","content_id":"8fb3b2f7-6485-4d42-9ac1-f4561ff612eb","document_type":"correspondence","links":{},"locale":"en","public_updated_at":"2026-10-23T10:00:02Z","schema_name":"publication","title":"Strategic Spatial Energy Plan: deadline extension","web_url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strategic-spatial-energy-plan-deadline-extension","withdrawn":false}],"government":[{"api_path":"/api/content/government/2026-burnham-labour-government","api_url":"https://www.gov.uk/api/content/government/2026-burnham-labour-government","base_path":"/government/2026-burnham-labour-government","content_id":"1fb8162a-7f42-4a44-ae9b-42e8d8f36807","details":{"current":true,"ended_on":null,"started_on":"2026-07-20T00:00:00+00:00"},"document_type":"government","links":{},"locale":"en","title":"2026 Burnham Labour government","web_url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/2026-burnham-labour-government"}],"organisations":[{"analytics_identifier":"D1380","api_path":"/api/content/government/organisations/department-for-energy-security-and-net-zero","api_url":"https://www.gov.uk/api/content/government/organisations/department-for-energy-security-and-net-zero","base_path":"/government/organisations/department-for-energy-security-and-net-zero","content_id":"6315817c-ef11-4905-bb4d-b6dca8e9052c","details":{"acronym":"DESNZ","brand":"department-for-energy-security-net-zero","default_news_image":{"high_resolution_url":"https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/656df1fd1104cf000dfa74a1/s960_whitehall-place-exterior-960x640.jpg","url":"https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/656df1fd0f12ef07a53e01be/s300_whitehall-place-exterior-960x640.jpg"},"logo":{"crest":"single-identity","formatted_title":"Department for<br/>Energy Security<br/>&amp; Net Zero"},"organisation_govuk_status":{"status":"live","updated_at":null,"url":null}},"document_type":"organisation","links":{},"locale":"en","schema_name":"organisation","title":"Department for Energy Security and Net Zero","web_url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-energy-security-and-net-zero","withdrawn":false}],"primary_publishing_organisation":[{"analytics_identifier":"D1380","api_path":"/api/content/government/organisations/department-for-energy-security-and-net-zero","api_url":"https://www.gov.uk/api/content/government/organisations/department-for-energy-security-and-net-zero","base_path":"/government/organisations/department-for-energy-security-and-net-zero","content_id":"6315817c-ef11-4905-bb4d-b6dca8e9052c","details":{"acronym":"DESNZ","brand":"department-for-energy-security-net-zero","default_news_image":{"high_resolution_url":"https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/656df1fd1104cf000dfa74a1/s960_whitehall-place-exterior-960x640.jpg","url":"https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/656df1fd0f12ef07a53e01be/s300_whitehall-place-exterior-960x640.jpg"},"logo":{"crest":"single-identity","formatted_title":"Department for<br/>Energy Security<br/>&amp; Net Zero"},"organisation_govuk_status":{"status":"live","updated_at":null,"url":null}},"document_type":"organisation","links":{},"locale":"en","schema_name":"organisation","title":"Department for Energy Security and Net Zero","web_url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-energy-security-and-net-zero","withdrawn":false}],"taxons":[{"api_path":"/api/content/environment/climate-change-energy-energy-infrastructure","api_url":"https://www.gov.uk/api/content/environment/climate-change-energy-energy-infrastructure","base_path":"/environment/climate-change-energy-energy-infrastructure","content_id":"899d76d6-4d59-409e-a7a4-2a7e47c9361b","details":{"internal_name":"Energy infrastructure [T]","notes_for_editors":"","visible_to_departmental_editors":false},"document_type":"taxon","links":{"parent_taxons":[{"api_path":"/api/content/environment","api_url":"https://www.gov.uk/api/content/environment","base_path":"/environment","content_id":"3cf97f69-84de-41ae-bc7b-7e2cc238fa58","description":"","details":{"internal_name":"Environment","notes_for_editors":"","visible_to_departmental_editors":true},"document_type":"taxon","links":{"root_taxon":[{"api_path":"/api/content/","api_url":"https://www.gov.uk/api/content/","base_path":"/","content_id":"f3bbdec2-0e62-4520-a7fd-6ffd5d36e03a","document_type":"homepage","links":{},"locale":"en","public_updated_at":"2026-02-18T13:00:23Z","schema_name":"homepage","title":"GOV.UK homepage","web_url":"https://www.gov.uk/","withdrawn":false}]},"locale":"en","phase":"live","public_updated_at":"2018-09-16T13:39:00Z","schema_name":"taxon","title":"Environment","web_url":"https://www.gov.uk/environment","withdrawn":false}]},"locale":"en","phase":"live","public_updated_at":"2018-09-05T16:13:09Z","schema_name":"taxon","title":"Energy infrastructure","web_url":"https://www.gov.uk/environment/climate-change-energy-energy-infrastructure","withdrawn":false}]},"locale":"en","phase":"live","public_updated_at":"2026-10-23T11:00:02+01:00","publishing_app":"whitehall","publishing_request_id":"21-1792744822.480-10.13.20.173-2663","publishing_scheduled_at":"2026-10-23T11:00:00+01:00","rendering_app":"frontend","scheduled_publishing_delay_seconds":2,"schema_name":"publication","title":"Strategic Spatial Energy Plan: deadline extension","updated_at":"2026-10-23T11:00:02+01:00","withdrawn_notice":{}}