Energy Systems Catapult published its response to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) consultation on the Smart Secure Electricity Systems (SSES) Programme on 17 March 2026. The consultation covers draft load control licence regulations and conditions1.
The Catapult said load control will be central to unlocking consumer-led flexibility and supporting a secure, flexible, net zero electricity system. It argued that implementation of the load control licence regulations and conditions should be proportionate and risk-based, targeting only those who control load while supporting innovation and competition1.
"A clear statutory footing, with Ofgem able to license the right duty holders, should strengthen accountability, consumer confidence, and system security as activity scales."
In its key points, the Catapult said high fixed costs and unclear scope boundaries risk excluding smaller, software-led providers and discouraging modular supply chains. It called on government to clarify how Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) and optimisation services are treated where they may initiate or schedule control actions, particularly where they are optimised for weather conditions and comfort levels in homes1. It also said definitions, exemptions and compliance routes must be practical and scalable, with clear guidance and worked examples, light-touch evidencing where appropriate, and code obligations scaled with materiality. Targeted exemptions for small-scale pilots and confirmation that passive intermediaries are out of scope would help, it said1.
The response was published under the Catapult's Markets, Policy and Regulation work, which it describes as independent and technology-agnostic thought leadership1. The full consultation response is available to download from the Catapult's site, subject to a short form; readers who do not wish to complete the form are directed to email the organisation for a digital copy1.
Why it matters for households
Load control covers the remote or automated shifting of when appliances and heating draw power, which is the mechanism behind many time-of-use tariffs and flexibility payments. The licensing regime being consulted on will determine which organisations need a licence to control load in homes, and therefore who carries accountability when something goes wrong. The Catapult's argument that licensing should reach only those who control load, and its call for clarity on where HEMS and optimisation services sit, bear directly on how much of a household's automated energy management falls inside the regulated perimeter. Its warning that high fixed costs could exclude smaller software-led providers touches on how much choice households may have between providers of energy smart appliances and automated load control. The consultation itself sits within the wider process by which energy consultations lead to rules, run by DESNZ, with Ofgem named in the Catapult's response as the body that would license duty holders.
What happens next
The Catapult's response is dated 17 March 20261. No date for publication of the government's response to the consultation, or for any final regulations, has been reported.