On 1 September 2026, amendments to the acts of Ukraine’s energy regulator entered into force, establishing practical mechanisms for flexible connection, bidirectional capacity, shared connection points and complex commercial metering.
Management conclusion
Faster and potentially less expensive grid access can create value, but non-firm capacity must not be valued as a guaranteed revenue-generating asset.
What changed
Flexible connection
Access to constrained network infrastructure through a separate non-firm capacity arrangement.
Two capacity directions
Import and export capacity become separate contractual parameters.
Cable pooling
Several installations or market participants may share one connection point under an agreed model.
Storage plus generation
Storage, generation and consumption can be combined within contractual limits.
New metering model
Complex sites require separate metering points and algorithms allocating energy flows.
Revised connection charges
Import, export, firm and non-firm components must be assessed separately.
The economic substance of flexible connection
A flexible connection exchanges part of the firmness of network access for speed and potentially lower upfront cost. The system operator may curtail the non-firm component under the applicable operating regime, so the business model must account for more than the connection charge.
- for a generator - exposure to curtailed output and imbalance costs;
- for storage - the risk of losing a valuable charging or discharging window;
- for a consumer - disruption to the production process;
- for an investor - volatile cash flows and a higher risk premium.
Cable pooling: value lies in more than the cable
A shared transmission or distribution connection point allows several technologies or participants to use one network corridor. It does not permit unlimited aggregation of installed capacity: automation must keep the combined flow within the agreed limit at the shared point.
The key asset in cable pooling is a properly documented access right: duration, priority, limit, dispatch algorithm, liability, loss compensation and an exit scenario.
Six checks before signing
Compare the technical conditions, connection agreement, metering-point passport and actual protection settings.
Split capacity into firm and non-firm import and export components.
Obtain data on node headroom, constraints, the connection queue and network development plans.
Compare firm and flexible scenarios by timeline, CAPEX, NPV and curtailment exposure.
Align automation, communications, commercial metering and contractual risk allocation.
Update financing, offtake arrangements and monthly monitoring of the actual operating regime.
Choosing the appropriate scenario
Flexible
Early operation has high value, curtailment is predictable and the installation can respond to dispatch instructions.
Firm
The production process cannot tolerate interruptions or project finance requires stable network access.
Hybrid
Firm capacity supports the base cash flow while non-firm capacity enables additional generation or charging.
Cable pooling
Technology profiles complement each other, the connection point is constrained, and participants have long-term contracts and independent metering.
Energy Capital formula
Connection-point value = contracted capacity × access quality × operational controllability × metering reliability × contractual protection.
Official sources
- Law of Ukraine No. 4777-IX of 10 February 2026
- NEURC explanation of 1 September 2026
- NEURC Resolution No. 1354
- NEURC Resolution No. 1355
This material is analytical and does not constitute individual legal, technical or investment advice. Each project requires verification of current contracts, technical conditions, network parameters and the latest versions of applicable regulations.