National Policy Statements for energy infrastructure
Energy National Policy Statements provide planning guidance for developers of nationally significant energy infrastructure projects.
The energy National Policy Statements cover:
- the overarching needs case for different types of energy infrastructure
- natural gas electricity generation
- renewable electricity generation
- gas and oil infrastructure
- electricity networks
- nuclear power generation
The guidance makes it easier for decision makers, applicants and the wider public to understand:
- government policy on the need for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs)
- how applications for energy infrastructure will be assessed
- the way in which impacts and mitigations will be judged
The 2023 revised NPSs (EN-1 to EN-5) came into force on 17 January 2024.
The 2011 version of the National Policy Statement for Nuclear Power Generation (EN-6) had effect for listed nuclear projects capable of being deployed by the end of 2025. We are in the process of preparing a new National Policy Statement.
National Policy Statements
Assessments
Consultations
Nuclear siting consultations
We launched a consultation on the draft of the new nuclear National Policy Statement (NPS) EN-7 on 6 February 2025, following the previous consultation on the proposed approach to siting new nuclear power stations beyond 2025, which ran from January to March 2024.
The new consultation covered the policy proposals the government intends to take forward in EN-7, and delivered the government response to the previous consultation.
The proposed EN-7 will be applicable to nuclear power stations expected to deploy beyond 2025.
Updates to this page
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Added link to latest consultation on the Draft National Policy Statement for nuclear energy generation (EN-7).
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The 2023 revised NPSs (EN-1 to EN-5) came into force on 17 January 2024.
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First published.