The North West’s Distribution Network Operator (DNO) has set out its future vision in a recently published whitepaper.
Discussions are currently taking place within Ofgem and Government on the role of Distribution Network Operators and the move to a Distribution Systems Operator (DSO) model in which key balancing would take place at a much more local level.
Steve Cox, Engineering Director at Electricity North West said: “Ensuring that supply meets demand is the key to keeping the lights on across the UK. At the moment, that’s almost exclusively done at a national level, but we’re seeing huge variations locally in how customers want to use and pay for the power they need and the local approach is clearly the way forward.
“DNOs such as Electricity North West have a fundamental role to play in that. We are the lynchpin between both local and national generation and consumers and are key to ensuring that the DSO model succeeds.”
The traditional role of networks was to passively deliver power generated in bulk through its wires and transformers to customers at safe levels for use. The role of networks and energy customers is changing, proven by the rapid rise in community energy groups forming, as well as new technologies allowing local generation and supply.
Steve added: “We’re now seeing customers who want to sell their locally-generated energy to other customers locally. This can be incredibly efficient and we need to encourage it. It also shows that networks have a unique role to play as enablers and participants in creating open markets to allow this type of progress to happen to secure future energy needs.
“At Electricity North West we have proven success in delivering innovation projects that deliver real improvements to customers in terms of capacity and cost. The move to the DSO model is an extension of our work so far and our involvement is key to its success for customers.”
The whitepaper ‘The vital role for Distribution Network Operators: Delivering a smart, flexible energy system is available to view in full at: www.enwl.co.uk/dso.
