Former Eon chief lined up to chair future system operator

Former Eon chief executive Paul Golby has been lined up to chair the National Energy System Operator (NESO).

Golby has been named as the government’s preferred candidate to be the inaugural chair of the future system operator when it goes live later this year.

The role comes with an annual salary of £220,000-£230,000 pro-rated to two or three days a week, according to the official job poster. The position will be for an initial four-year term.

A mechanical engineer by trade, Golby spent nine years at Eon – then known as PowerGen – as chief executive.

He has also served as chair of the National Air Traffic Service (NATS) and as a non-executive director of National Grid.

Latterly, Golby has acted as chair of engineering firm Costain and was formerly chairman of AEA Technology Group.

Golby was also appointed a member of the Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology in June 2011.

The NESO will take on all of the existing roles and responsibilities of the Electricity System Operator (ESO) currently owned by National Grid as well as the long-term forecasting and strategic planning functions of the gas system operator owned by National Gas Transmission.

It will also take on new and enhanced responsibilities, including providing expert advice to the government and Ofgem and becoming a Central Network Planner for the electricity transmission network.

Utility Week recently looked at the roles and responsibilities this new organisation has been tasked with delivering and whether it risks being overburdened.

The job advert states that the chair’s primary focus will be “guiding the transformation of the organisation from a privately-owned electricity system operator into a public sector company that delivers a whole system approach and acts as an expert and trusted adviser to government on the energy system”.

It adds: “This will involve merging the Electricity System Operator, with the longer-term gas planning and strategic roles from National Grid Gas and overseeing the expansion of the organisation to take on a new statutory advisor role.”

A pre-appointment hearing to approve Golby’s position will be heard on 24 April.

National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) is seeking to fill another 150 roles before it takes on an expanded role this summer.

Last month, the organisation’s new chief operating officer Kayte O’Neill gave Utility Week an exclusive update on recruitment plans in preparation for the transition into the National Energy System Operator.

To enable it to perform these new roles, the ESO expects to grow from its current c1,000-strong workforce to an organisation employing 1,800 by the autumn.