Search for FSO chair begins

The recruitment process for a chair to oversee the Future System Operator (FSO) has begun.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has posted a job advert for the post with prospective applicants given until 4 September to put themselves forward.

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

The government and Ofgem confirmed plans in April last year to establish the FSO as an independent, publicly owned corporation by 2024.

The FSO 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. In April, Ofgem proposed to create a series of Regional System Planners across the country to coordinate the development of local energy system plans and identified the FSO as the most appropriate candidate to fulfil this role. The regulator also suggested that the FSO should become a neutral facilitator for flexibility markets.

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.”

The advert adds that successful applicants must have “proven experience of leading operational change programmes in large, complex organisations along with a demonstrable ability to understand the impact of change from a customer and regulatory perspective”.

Last week the government launched a consultation on the FSO’s remit in relation to energy security and resilience. The government also announced that the energy security secretary will be granted powers to overrule the FSO if there is a perceived threat to national security.

Earlier this year, Ofgem revealed that the on-off cost of setting up the FSO could reach up to £390 million.