National Grid DSO looks ahead to future at largest stakeholder event to date

National Grid DSO welcomed over 100 attendees to the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham, for its largest-ever stakeholder event, “Delivering Now and Thinking Future.”

The hybrid event brought together key decision-makers and industry experts to discuss the future of energy systems and the progress made since the launch of the DSO’s Strategic Action Plan one year ago.

The event featured presentations and discussions led by National Grid DSO's Managing Director, Cathy McClay, alongside speakers including Dermot Nolan, Senior Advisor at Fingleton and former CEO of Ofgem, and Kayte O'Neill, Chief Operating Officer of the National Energy System Operator.

It also provided an opportunity to engage stakeholders in discussions that will shape industry priorities, and foster collaboration and dialogue on pressing issues facing the energy sector.

The event served to highlight the significant achievements of National Grid DSO over the past year, which have delivered clear and measurable benefits for local authorities, consumers, and the wider energy system.

The launch of the Distribution Future Energy Scenarios (DFES) earlier this year marked a key milestone, as the organisation collaborated with local authorities to illustrate the impact, and future potential, of their decarbonsiation efforts.

It reported that flexibility assets registered in the Market Gateway had more than doubled compared to the previous year , with over 90% of these assets coming from domestic households, including more than 125,000 electric vehicles.

National Grid DSO also underscored its commitment to effective governance and stakeholder engagement, noting the success of its independent DSO panel, and over 90 events conducted throughout the communities it proudly serves.

The DSO has also recently launched a new website, https://www.dso.nationalgrid.co.uk, designed to provide tailored information for customers and local authorities. The site features the new Network Opportunities Map, which replaces the previous Network and EV capacity maps, offering an accessible, unified view of connection opportunities.

Looking ahead, the DSO aims to continue supporting local authorities in developing detailed energy and decarbonisation plans, embedding smart meter and substation data into LV and HV network planning, and actively contributing to local and regional decarbonisation efforts.

The organisation is also laser-focused on deploying day-ahead competitions, and developing a flexibility service accessiblity roadmap, in collaboration with the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE), to enhance market participation.

Cathy McClay, Managing Director of National Grid DSO, said:

“The success of this event is evident in its attendance and engagement. As our largest ever stakeholder event, it was brilliant to bring so many individuals and decision-makers together who all share the common goal of shaping the future of our energy system.

“We’ve achieved a lot over the past twelve months, and we know there’s still more to do. By providing these transparent updates on our progress and plans for the future, we can work together to facilitate decarbonisation at pace, and ensure a smarter, more flexible electricity network for all.”