Dr Paul Golby CBE has been named as the government’s
preferred candidate to be the inaugural Chair of the National Energy System
Operator (NESO).
NESO’s inaugural independent Chair will oversee a critical
part of the nation's energy security, play a vital role in the transition to
net zero and help to establish NESO as a trusted, expert body at the centre of
the energy system.
Dr Paul Golby brings a wealth of experience to the role,
having served as the Chair of the National Air Traffic Service (NATS), and as
CEO of E.ON UK plc. He was previously Non-Executive Director and Chair of the
HSE Committee at National Grid plc, from 2012-2022. He is also recognised for
his contributions to the engineering field as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of
Engineering.
His selection follows a competitive recruitment process and
will be scrutinised by the Energy Security and Net Zero (ESNZ) Select Committee
at a forthcoming pre-appointment hearing.
The date of Paul’s pre-appointment hearing will be 24th
April.
BACKGROUND
The Government is establishing the National Energy System
Operator (NESO): a new, independent public body that will be responsible for
planning Britain’s electricity and gas networks and operating the electricity
system.
It will oversee the energy system’s transition to net zero
while maintaining energy security and minimising costs for consumers. NESO will
be founded on some of the existing roles and capabilities of the Electricity
System Operator, currently owned by National Grid, and some roles of and
capabilities of the national gas system operator and will therefore involve a
transfer of ownership and transformation to create the new organisation.
Depending on a number of factors, including agreeing timelines with key parties,
our aim continues to be for NESO to become operational in 2024.