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The Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) is hoping to say something “later on this year” about greater independence for the system operator role, according to its head of future electricity networks.
Speaking at Utility Week’s Future Networks Conference in Birmingham David Capper said: “We work very well with Ofgem and National Grid; have very productive conversations. And I think we just need to see where that work takes us.”
In her ‘reset’ speech in November energy secretary Amber Rudd said there was a “strong case” for greater independence for the system operator to enable it “to make the necessary changes”. She said Decc would work with the National Infrastructure Commission, National Grid and Ofgem to “consider how to reform the current system operator model to make it more flexible and independent”.
Earlier this month it was reported that ministers were considering stripping National Grid of the system operator role, with three different options for the role being looked at, including one which would see Ofgem supervise a newly created not-for-profit company.
Capper said greater independence is “something that I think all of us think is the right direction of travel”. He added: “We’ve just got to figure out quite what it looks like in the future.”
Fellow panellist and head of engineering at the Energy Networks Association Kieran Coughlan said it would be “interesting to see how the move towards a more independent system operator will interact with the development of the role of the DSO [distribution system operator]”.
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