There is unanimous agreement amongst ENA’s Board that the interests of members, employees, customers and stakeholders are best served through an orderly transition. ENA’s Board has committed to working together to that end. In the meantime, Cadent, Northern Gas Networks, Wales & West Utilities, SGN and National Gas remain full members of ENA and, in the short term, ENA’s operations will continue unchanged.
ENA’s Board will take the opportunity to review the association’s strategy, recognising ENA's central role in supporting its members to enable the energy transition. The ENA Board and the ESO will also consider how ENA and its members best interact with the Future System Operator going forward, as the ESO transitions into its new role as an independent public corporation.
Lawrence Slade, Chief Executive of ENA, said:
“Twenty years after the association was established, the energy and political landscape has changed massively and continues to change. Following the decision of the gas networks and given the scale and importance of net zero, we will now undertake a strategic review to ensure that our team, who are at the heart of the organisation, have the best support and structure to help deliver the net zero future for the country.
“I’m confident that by working with our gas and electricity colleagues, and the great ENA staff team, to manage this transition carefully, we will deliver best value for all our members, stakeholders and customers involved now and in the future.”
Phil Jones, Chairman of the ENA, said:
“Today’s news doesn't change the commitment of the companies remaining in the association. We firmly believe that ENA is best placed to support us working together to enable net zero and tackle the challenges that lie ahead. That’s what ENA has enabled us to do as a sector consistently: deliver better outcomes for our customers across the board. Projects like the 105 three digit number for power cuts, industry-wide collaboration on storm and pandemic response and most recently some significant reforms in the connections framework. As we navigate the transition into the next chapter in the organisation’s history, I am confident the dedicated team at ENA will continue to support the networks to deliver for customers as we play our part in enabling net zero for the country.”
Notes to editor
ENA was originally established in 2003 as a membership body made up of electricity network companies. Gas network members joined the organisation shortly thereafter.
About us
Energy Networks Association (ENA) is the industry body representing the energy networks. Our members include every major electricity network operator in the UK. The electricity networks are at the heart of the energy transition. They directly employ more than 26,000 people in the UK, including 1,500 apprentices. They are spending and investing £33bn in our electricity grids over the coming years, to ensure safe, reliable and secure energy supplies for the millions of homes and businesses reliant on power every day.
Press contacts
You can contact ENA's press office by emailing press@energynetworks.org. For urgent or out-of-hours enquiries from journalists, please call 0204 599 7691.