Don’t ignore gas leakage

The article argues that the next major disruption to the energy system is more likely to emerge from the gaps between organisations than from the failure of a single one, and that current siloed risk management is unfit for an increasingly interconnected digital system. It matters because the same digital capability that introduces new risks, from algorithmic cascades to embedded spyware, can also drive efficiency, resilience and consumer value if effective whole system risk and opportunity management is embedded from the outset.

The article argues that the sector has lost sight of the destination for digitalisation and proposes ten principles to guide delivery, including a clear modern set of rules in the form of a Highway Code, treating technology as a consequence rather than a driver, and planning in architectural coherence. It matters because the much-anticipated DESNZ and Ofgem digitalisation vision needs to land into a framework that can coordinate the plethora of programmes already in flight and align them around shared outcomes for the consumer.