As the UK’s energy industry goes through its greatest period of change for decades and moves to create a smarter, flexible energy system, the region’s electricity distributor Northern Powergrid is reaching out and engaging stakeholders on their views about the challenges ahead.
Northern Powergrid, which is responsible for the network that keeps the lights on for 8 million customers and 3.9 million homes and businesses across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, is hosting two interactive events where it will outline its ambitions to create a customer-led system operator approach to managing energy systems.
The events, which comprise a live Q&A on social media and a webinar, will reach out to groups who may find attending conferences difficult and widen the opportunity for more people to participate. They will also provide an opportunity to ask questions and share views which could help inform and shape Northern Powergrid’s future plans.
Each event will discuss how distribution network operators (DNOs), like Northern Powergrid, will transition from managing the infrastructure that delivers electricity to people’s doors to a distribution systems operator (DSO) with potential additional responsibilities including balancing electricity supply and demand for customers across the region .
Jim Cardwell, Northern Powergrid’s Head of Trading and Innovation, said: “The energy industry is evolving at an unprecedented rate with increased renewable generation connections driving the need to change and increase network flexibility. As the industry moves towards distributed system operators, distribution network operators like Northern Powergrid, through a wealth of experience, are in the strong position to facilitate this change.
Northern Powergrid is encouraging people to join its live DNO to DSO Q&A on Twitter at 12 noon on 6 September 2017. Simply follow @Powergridnews to participate.
Anyone interested in joining Northern Powergrid’s DNO to DSO webinar should register their interest by emailing [email protected] by Tuesday 12 September 2017.
