National Energy System Operator launches today
1 Oct 2024 - 3 minute read
As part of the transition to becoming an independent public body, NESO has taken on a new duty to have regard to impacts upon consumers, and consumer behaviour in undertaking its work. Launched on 1 October, its mission is to forge the path to a sustainable future, where everyone has access to clean, reliable and affordable energy.
Citizens Advice is the official consumer body for energy, with a statutory responsibility to represent the interests of consumers.
NESO and Citizens Advice will support each other in working towards three main shared objectives;
On a recent visit to NESO in Wokingham, Citizen’s Advice Chief Executive Clare Moriarty met with NESO CEO Fintan Slye to formalise the partnership. Fintan set out the importance of consumers being at the heart of NESO, and the value that insights from Citizens Advice will bring as the organisation considers the impact on consumers as part of its duties.
The Citizens Advice team were given a tour of the Electricity National Control Centre, where NESO’s teams of engineers and experts keep the nation’s lights on 24/7 365 days a year, while also managing the transition to a clean power system in one of the world’s fastest decarbonising grids.
NESO intends to develop further strategic partnerships with relevant organisations over the coming months to support the organisation in fulfilling its new whole-systems functions and roles in the energy sector.
Commenting, NESO chief executive Fintan Slye said:
"At the forefront of NESO’s mission will be the need to deliver value for consumers and ensure that communities across Great Britain are brought with us on the journey to delivering the clean, green energy system of the future.
“We are determined to play our part in ensuring the benefits, from new job opportunities to environmental improvements, not to mention more affordable bills and increased resilience within the system, are realised far and wide through our society. To that end, we’re delighted to have the expertise and support of Citizens Advice to draw on as we get to work on delivering.”
Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Advice, said:
"The transition to green, clean energy presents the opportunity to deliver fairness and affordability for all energy customers. We’re pleased to partner with NESO, which will play a critical role in ensuring this is achieved.
“Citizens Advice encounters more energy issues - like affordability, debt, and green technology concerns - than any other organisation, so we know first-hand the challenges people face.
“What’s more, our role as statutory advocate for energy consumers means we have unparalleled insights. This allows us to act as a critical friend to NESO, while NESO’s expertise will enable us to represent consumer interests more effectively across all aspects of the energy sector.”