Overview
National Energy System Operator (NESO) is Great Britain’s independent, publicly owned energy system operator and planner, established under the UK’s Energy Act 2023 and commencing operations on 1 October 2024. NESO ensures electricity supply meets demand every second while coordinating strategic planning for both electricity and gas networks. It was created to unify and optimise energy system operations and planning, supporting secure and reliable energy delivery as the UK transitions toward net zero.
Mission and focus areas
NESO’s core mission is to balance electricity supply and demand in real time and undertake long-term planning of energy infrastructure to support energy security, affordability and decarbonisation. It provides independent analysis, recommendations and insights to government, regulators and industry decision-makers to inform policy and investment choices. NESO contributes to sustainable energy transitions by aligning operational system management with strategic planning that promotes renewable integration and clean energy goals, such as facilitating infrastructure development for new energy technologies.
Structure and governance
NESO operates as a public corporation wholly owned by the UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with operational independence in fulfilling its statutory duties. It is governed by a board of directors with a chair and chief executive responsible for strategic leadership and organisational oversight. Governance arrangements set out accountability between NESO, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and UK Government Investments as shareholder representative. The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) regulates NESO’s performance and compliance with licences and statutory obligations.
Programs and offerings
NESO produces a range of strategic outputs, planning tools and insights to guide energy sector stakeholders. These include long-term network planning documents, such as the Centralised Strategic Network Plan and Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, future energy scenarios and system outlook reports. It also publishes analysis on security of supply, market developments, connections reform and other system-level issues. NESO’s publications and frameworks support infrastructure planning, energy market reform discussions and stakeholder engagement across the energy industry.
