The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has released its new business plan for the two-year period from 2026 to 2028.

Setting out how it will drive progress and deliver measurable outcomes, the plan is borne of a comprehensive and inclusive stakeholder engagement, including government departments and Ofgem, other energy industry participants and consumer groups and regional representatives.

The plan acknowledges some key issues such as the need for greater energy security and national resilience in the face of global energy market volatility; ensuring protection against price volatility through diversified, domestic energy sources and mitigation of growing concerns around resilience both in supply security and climate-related disruptions.

Naturally, the transition to clean energy is a central pillar, but the plan considers how this desire will interact with broader economic, social, and technological developments and public support, including affordability, accessibility, trust in the system and ongoing security of supply.

The plan identifies six performance objectives. These are strategically aligned to build the capabilities, forge the partnerships, and generate insights needed to drive the transition:
• Planning clean energy
• Operating an intelligent grid
• Enabling markets
• Driving resilience
• Delivering a decarbonised, operable grid
• Digitally connected energy system

Together these actions are expected to deliver up to £3.2bn in consumer value by March 2028. This is made up of £1.5bn of value by accelerating grid connections and reducing investor risk in the transition to clean energy, “consumer value” of up to £1.2bn through lower costs due to improved system efficiency, unlocking up to £245m of value through creating a more secure and resilient energy system and £310m through NESO’s trusted expertise and data-driven insights giving stakeholders confidence.

The NESO1 business plan has now been submitted to Ofgem for review and determination.

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