Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution began trading through Day-Ahead Markets on Monday 24 November 2025, the network operator announced on 17 November 2025. The markets run on the ElectronConnect platform and let flexibility providers decide at shorter notice whether to take part1.
SSEN said it is one of only two Distribution Network Operators offering this route to Flexibility Service Providers1. The markets are held according to network requirements and open and close daily, with the contracted action, whether exporting power or reducing use, taken the next day1. SSEN describes the pilot phase as limited, with a gradual roll-out intended to let it monitor performance and gather stakeholder feedback before the markets develop further1.
"Being able to offer flexibility opportunities that are closer to real-time for customers who can adjust their energy usage will be a game changer for us, the providers we work with, and the wider market."
SSEN said the shorter notice period creates new opportunities for providers to take part and earn more revenue, and that the markets will also benefit customers seeking to connect by releasing greater capacity on the network when it is needed1. Paul Fitzgerald, SSEN Distribution's Network Access and Flexibility Markets Manager, said the opportunities would appeal to a wider range of participants, from individual electric vehicle owners to operators of larger assets such as battery storage, and solar and wind farms1.
Jo-Jo Hubbard, chief executive and co-founder of Electron, which operates SSEN Distribution's flexibility platform, said day-ahead flexibility moves the grid towards trading capacity close to need, and described it as a mechanism for affordable, resilient capacity growth1.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Start date | Monday 24 November 20251 |
| Platform | ElectronConnect1 |
| Trading pattern | Opens and closes daily; action taken the next day1 |
| Pilot status | Market operations limited during pilot1 |
| Named participants | Individual EV owners; battery storage, solar and wind farm operators1 |
Why it matters for households
Flexibility services pay participants to shift when they export power or cut their use, so a market that settles a day ahead shortens the gap between a household deciding to take part and being paid for it. SSEN's own framing is that this suits people who can adjust their energy usage, and it names individual electric vehicle owners among the intended participants1. For a home with a car charger, a battery or rooftop solar, that is a route into network payments that previously required committing further in advance.
The second effect is on connections. SSEN says releasing greater capacity on the network when it is needed will benefit customers who are seeking to connect1. That matters to households waiting on a connection for a heat pump, charger or solar array, though SSEN has not reported figures for how much capacity the pilot will free up, or where. The pilot is deliberately limited, so the volumes available in this phase are not stated1.
What happens next
SSEN said that following the pilot phase it plans to scale up the service by increasing market volumes and expanding opportunities for wider participation1. No dates or volume targets for that scale-up have been reported. A recording of SSEN's Day-Ahead Markets launch webinar is available, and participation details sit with SSEN Distribution's flexibility markets pages1. Households wanting to know which network area they fall under can check who their distribution network operator is; the wider context of how Britain pays for firm capacity is set out in the Capacity Market guide, and flexibility sits within the broader picture covered in the national supply hub.