The Energy Networks Association (ENA) has taken steps to improve governance & transparency for its Open Networks programme, launching a new stakeholder group and a consultation on next year’s scoping plans.
As Open Networks enters its fifth year, the programme is seeking to improve consultative links with the power industry’s consumers and intermediaries in easing developments around flexibility.
The ENA says it is responding to requests for stakeholders to be consulted earlier as network operators scope their grids’ processes to achieve better operation.
More openness, the ENA believes, will enable it to launch the ON programme’s final workplan earlier rather than later in 2022.
The programme consists of 25 extensive products across six workstreams, intended to deliver key actions from D-BEIS’s and Ofgem’s Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan, published earlier this year
The document is available on ENA’s website and the consultation will be open until Tuesday 16 November.
The association will publish a response early in 2022, alongside a Programme Initiation Document.
Stakeholders’ feedback is invited by joining a public webinar hosted by leads of the work areas at 14:00 on Tuesday 2 November, with more information on ENA’s website.
A new feedback group provides another conduit for stakeholders. In January Open Networks will initiate a Challenge Group, shaping the project’s direction by providing a more formal challenge function on behalf of participants in the power industry.
The ENA seeks an independent chair for the Challenge Group. Farina Farrier, ENA head of Open Networks, said:
“As the natural home for network collaboration, Open Networks draws on the expertise of networks, Ofgem, Government and industry to facilitate .. necessary steps to drive towards our ultimate goal of Net Zero.
“With Government’s recent announcement that all of the UK’s electricity is going to come from clean energy sources by 2035, it’s more important than ever that we continue to work closely together.
Relevant applicants are invited to apply by Tuesday 16 November. Details are available on ENA’s website.
