Energy Systems Catapult welcomes the opportunity to respond to Ofgem’s DSI Governance Consultation.

Key points in our response:

• The Catapult is supportive of the aims of the consultation. The industry suffers from a lack of data sharing which presents challenges in the ability to manage the increasing complexities of the future system. Data Sharing Infrastructure (DSI) is essential to achieving energy system digitalisation and requires effective coordination.
• We agree that the ESO is best placed as the interim DSI coordinator. This responsibility aligns to the ESO’s transition to NESO – an independent publicly owned body with responsibility for overall strategic planning of energy system operations.
• In the long term, we recommend the role of the DSI coordinator is incorporated into the responsibilities of the Digitalisation Orchestrator. We see NESO as the most practical option to take on the responsibility of Digitalisation Orchestrator, but we recognise that the Digitalisation Orchestrator will require new skills, different ways of working and significant support from industry partners to deliver.
• We strongly advise the timelines for implementation of the MVP and sharing of blueprints with industry and other sectors are brought forward to winter 2025/2026, not 2028, to increase engagement with industry and support the development of concurrent use cases.