Secured, applied or planned: reading grid power when you buy land or a shell

A large plot with no grid connection is a long project; a smaller one with power in place can be built on soon. When you compare land or powered shells, the first question is how much grid power the site has and how certain it is. That is what the status tells you.

Secured power is contracted with the grid operator. The capacity is reserved for the site, on the terms of the connection agreement. It is the figure to plan a first phase around. Ask when it is available from, and whether it arrives in steps.

Applied power has been requested from the grid operator and is waiting for a decision. It can come through, be reduced or take longer than hoped, especially where the grid is congested. Ask when the application was made, what date the owner expects, and what the plan is if it is late.

Planned power has not been applied for yet. It shows the owner's ambition for the site, not a commitment from the grid. Treat it as upside for later phases, never as the basis for your first one.

• How much is secured, and from which date?
• For applied power: when was it applied for, and when is a decision expected?
• Is the connection shared with other users on the same site?
• Is the power renewable, and could waste heat be reused nearby?
• What is still needed before building can start: permits, substation, access?

Every powered land and powered shell listing on AICapacity splits its grid power into secured, applied for and planned, with an expected date for applied power. Your request is scored against the secured figure and the ready date, so the sites at the top are the ones that can be built on when you need them.