Last week ENA’s Open Networks team held a consultation webinar looking ahead at the work planned for this year.
Following the launch of ENA’s Open Networks 2021 Work Plan in January, last week the project team held a public consultation webinar with more than 40 attendees to provide an overview of products and key deliverables for each work stream.
The Work Plan offers a comprehensive view of the ambitious direction the project will take throughout the year and the outcomes it will achieve, and the consultation gives stakeholders from industry and beyond an opportunity to shape the direction and priorities of the project in 2021.
As the project enters its fifth year it will continue to drive the key changes and innovation needed to transition to a net zero emissions smart grid. It has expanded its focus on Flexibility Services, continues to demonstrate the implementation of Distribution System Operation functionality, is implementing improvements to the customer connections process, and deliver Whole Energy Systems efficiencies.
Flexibility remains the largest area of work with the highest priority, and as part of this work the project has published a flexibility roadmap which links the development work to the project’s flexibility commitments, next steps for implementation and a consolidated list of key stakeholder issues. It provides a forward-looking view of work beyond 2021 and signposts key industry developments that are feeding into Open Networks’ work.
As well as defining the projects body of work, the team also identified key dependencies, particularly RIIO-2. In addition, this year the project will also move a number of products to open governance and change management to allow for enduring solutions that can be updated and refreshed in response to industry feedback.
The attendees asked questions of each workstream lead and gave their initial views on a number of areas before submitting formal responses.
You can view the full webinar presentation slides and webinar recording and the consultation closes on 1st March 2021.
Feedback on the Open Networks 2021 Work Plan is welcomed from everyone, no matter the length or format. If you would like to respond to the consultation, please submit your response to opennetworks@energynetworks.org.
For further activity updates you can sign up to our mailing list on the Open Networks page.
Press contacts for journalists
Emily Jones
Communications Lead (Open Networks)
Energy Networks Association
emily.jones@energynetworks.org
ENA Press Office
Notes to editor
- Formal responses should be sent to opennetworks@energynetworks.org
- All consultation responses will be published on our website unless marked as confidential
- For more information about the Open Networks project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at opennetworks@energynetworks.org or visit the Open Networks webpage.
- ENA will publish a response mid-May 2021.
About Energy Networks Association
Energy Networks Association (ENA) is the industry body representing the electricity wires, gas pipes and energy system in the UK and Ireland.
ENA helps its members meet the challenge of delivering electricity and gas to communities across the UK and Ireland safely, sustainably and reliably.
Its members include every major electricity and gas network operator in the UK and Ireland, independent operators, National Grid ESO which operates the electricity system in Great Britain and National Gas which operates the gas system in Great Britain. Its affiliate membership also includes companies with an interest in energy, including Heathrow Airport and Network Rail.
What are energy network operators?
Energy network operators manage and maintain the wires, pipes and other infrastructure which delivers electricity and gas to your home, business and community. They are private companies which are regulated by Ofgem and employ around 40,000 people in Great Britain.