An insightful engineer is evaluating her impact across a three-decade long career and enjoying the delight it still brings her every day.
Gill Williamson is the Head of System Forecasting in Energy Systems for Northern Powergrid and has been in the role almost two years.
The proud mum of two’s role sees her and her team anticipating what customer needs are and what the network needs are in the future, making sure we have the right network capacity at the right time in the right place.
System Forecasting is looking at 2050 and how Northern Powergrid can support the decarbonization of their customers, and make sure the network is robust and resilient to support that.
Gill is a power systems engineer by trade and has been for almost 30 years, but her work with the possibilities that data provides still make the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
With the introduction of LED light bulbs, to the installation of triple star efficient white goods, to the roll out of the smart meters and rapidly rising uptake of low carbon technologies, Gill’s world has seen some incredible changes in recent years.
Driven by the increased importance of assessing network capacity suitability, this has provided her team a new opportunity to look at the evolution of the network in a completely different way as we head toward net zero.
Gill said “My team is incredibly diverse, and I love it – we’ve all got different ways of thinking, cultural differences, learning and working styles, but when you bring that together it means you look at situations completely differently.
“This is something that is very beneficial in our role at Northern Powergrid, as we are pioneering new approaches to gain insights into our network operations, which will refine its development.
“We are frequently starting with a blank piece of paper as there is no existing blueprint for what we are attempting.
“So, we get creative, we think outside the box, we use data, processes, and evidence to help inform what the future could look like.
“Engineering is increasingly integrating a diverse range of skills, making it both exciting and varied.
“Being involved in an integrated process, from our initial forecasts to building the network that enables customers to decarbonize, is incredibly rewarding.
“It’s not always about building something new, we can use our network in a more flexible and smart way to be able to maximise the use of our existing network capacity.
“I've been really lucky in my career with working in innovation or on industry transformation projects focusing on the change that continues to drive our industry forward.
“Electrification is already happening, and we are seeing our customers starting to use more electricity.
“Predicting network constraints to inform what we need to do and then see it happen is fabulous.
“A career in electricity distribution allows you to make a significant impact on the environment, people’s lives, the economy, and society as a whole, all while contributing to the greater good.”
Paul Glendinning, Director of Energy Systems at Northern Powergrid, said “Gill’s passion and knowledge of the network is critical to its development and evolution.
“The way her and her team are using data to creatively problem solve potential issues as we work towards that 2050 goal is remarkable to see.
“In the past two years, the role of the Systems Forecasting team have gone from strength to strength and I believe a lot of that is down to Gill, her work ethic, and her ability to inspire others.”
Find out more about the roles and responsibilities of Northern Powergrid, visit their website.
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