Case Study: How Vattenfall’s Grid Connections Consultancy helped save Poppy Properties over £1 million.

Project Overview

Client: Poppy Properties Ltd
Location: Dolbeare Meadow, Ashburton, Devon, TQ13
ICP: Utility Line
CPO: Ionity GmbH
Capacity: 1.5MVA (Phase 1) + 0.5MVA (Phase 2)
Status: Energised (Phase 1, 2025)

Vattenfall IDNO supported Poppy Properties Ltd to deliver a new grid connection for a 10-bay EV charging hub at Dolbeare Meadow, a new roadside retail and business park located off the A38 Devon Expressway near Ashburton and the Dartmoor National Park.

Working alongside Ionity GmbH, Vattenfall delivered a new 11kV point of connection and 0.4kV point of supply for the EV chargers. The adopted assets include an 11kV/LV transformer and substation, plus an LV metering unit with a registered capacity of 1.5MVA for Phase 1.

This project demonstrates how Vattenfall IDNO’s Grid Connections Consultancy service—an integrated team of consultants, engineers, legal experts, and project managers—helps developers find available power, overcome barriers, and connect to the grid faster and more cost-effectively than by working alone or through their local DNO.

The Challenge

In 2022, Poppy Properties Ltd approached Vattenfall after receiving a DNO connection offer for a 2.5MVA supply to an NGED 11kV circuit. The DNO’s quote required significant reinforcement works, carried a multi-million-pound cost, and a non-contestable completion date of 2028 — an unviable timescale for the client’s plans to open their retail park and EV hub.

Poppy needed a solution to:

• Reduce grid connection costs
• Bring forward the energisation date
• Keep the development on track for opening

Our Approach

Vattenfall signed a Grid Consultancy agreement with Poppy Properties, taking over direct communications with the DNO to challenge assumptions and explore alternative connection routes.

Through technical review and detailed negotiations with the DNO, our engineers discovered that by reapplying for a smaller capacity connection (1.5MVA), Poppy could access spare capacity on the network and achieve a much earlier and more affordable connection.

This proactive approach delivered:

• Substantial savings on connection costs
• Connection times reduced by several years
• Phase 1 connection energised well ahead of DNO timelines

During the process, DNO grid reinforcement policies changed—requiring further negotiation and reapplication to secure future capacity (Phase 2, 0.5MVA) under a different curtailment arrangement.

Meanwhile, when Poppy’s original Charge Point Operator (CPO) withdrew, Vattenfall’s consultancy team helped identify and engage new CPO partners to keep the project moving.

Throughout the three-year project, Bilgin Oralerkaya coordinated the team at Vattenfall IDNO and supported the client through the technical revisions, legal agreements, and commercial changes—ensuring Poppy were kept informed as the project evolved.

Louise Mortell, Land Consents Manager, at Vattenfall also supported the project - completing the land rights in time for Poppy to obtain a grant for the cafe on the site which required EV charging facilities as part of the conditions for the grant.

Monica Mocanu, one of Vattenfall’s Project Managers, oversaw the on-site delivery of the new connection, keeping everyone informed about the build process and energisation, and inspecting the network build to ensure it conformed to Vattenfall's technical specifications.

This project is a great example of how Vattenfall’s Grid Consultancy service can unlock significant value for developers. By combining technical expertise with proactive negotiation, we helped Poppy secure a faster, more cost-effective connection and avoid unnecessary reinforcement costs.

Bilgin Oralerkaya, Grid Consultancy Manager, Vattenfall IDNO

By challenging the original DNO offer and finding a smarter connection route, Vattenfall IDNO helped Poppy secure and energised the 1.5MVA connection years ahead of the DNO schedule and at a fraction of the original cost. Plus, the Asset Adoption Value rebate Vattenfall provided to Poppy exceeded the cost of the contestable works, meaning the site was effectively delivered for the price of the non-contestable works alone. In total, Poppy saved more than £1,000,000 and gained three years of expert grid consultancy and support free of charge because Vattenfall waive their consultancy fees when they adopt a network. The consultancy effectively transformed an unviable project into a commercial success.

Without Vattenfall’s support, this project simply wouldn’t have been viable. Their team helped us navigate a complex and costly DNO process, find an affordable connection route, and get our EV hub energised much earlier than the DNO proposed. Their Grid Connections Consultancy service and final adoption of the network have saved us more than a million pounds.

William Palk, Partner, Poppy Properties Ltd

The EV chargers at Dolbeare Meadow

The Dolbeare Meadow project showcases the value of Vattenfall IDNO’s integrated Grid Consultancy — delivering faster connections, cost savings, and expert support for complex energy infrastructure projects.

By partnering early with developers and landlords, Vattenfall helps unlock viable routes to power that accelerate the UK’s transition to electric mobility and a net-zero energy system.

Results

• Phase 1 connection (1.5MVA) energised successfully in 2025
• Phase 2 (0.5MVA) secured for delivery in line with future site expansion
• Rebate value exceeded the cost of contestable works, meaning Poppy effectively delivered the site for the cost of non-contestable works alone
• Consultancy fees waived following asset adoption, providing Poppy with three years of expert grid support at no cost
• Millions saved compared to the original DNO connection offer

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