National Energy System Operator joins our Infrastructure forum this February

 Above: Alice Etheridge - courtesy National Energy System Operator (NESO)

Future Cities Forum is delighted that Alice Etheridge, Head of Strategic Spatial Energy Planning at National Energy System Operator (NESO) will be speaking at our 'Infrastructure, energy and construction' forum this February.

She is leading delivery of the GB’s first Strategic Spatial Energy Plan within the National Energy System Operator (NESO).

Prior to this Alice was responsible for leading delivery of the Holistic Network Design as part of the DESNZ-led Offshore Transmission Network Review. She has carried out a number of roles in her twelve years in NESO and National Grid, including leading stakeholder engagement to develop the Electricity System Operator (ESO) RIIO-2 Business Plan, developing the ESO’s Network Development Strategy and leading engagement, delivery and communication on the Future Energy Scenarios.

Prior to joining National Grid, Alice spent nine years in the Civil Service in the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

NESO, looking forward to its goals this year says:

'We’re moving closer to our ambition of periods of zero-carbon operations by 2025 and hit some significant milestones on our journey last year.

On 30 September, Ratcliffe power station came off the system for the final time to mark the end of 142 years of coal generating electricity in Great Britain. This was a major milestone on the journey to a net-zero electricity system with coal accounting for just 0.6% of electricity generation in 2024.

To replace the supply coal traditionally provided, solar, biomass and imports have played a greater role in providing electricity to Great Britain.'

The National Energy System Operator was set up to so that Great Britain has the essential energy it needs by ensuring supply meets demand every second of every day. The UK’s 2023 Energy Act established an independent system planner and operator to help accelerate Great Britain’s energy transition; creating the National Energy System Operator (NESO). 

NESO is built on its previous experience as the Electricity System Operator (ESO), where the organisation had extensive expertise in balancing electricity supply and demand 24/7, whilst making sure the networks it operated and the markets it served were prepared for the future.