ENA - Energy Networks Association

Energy Networks Association– the industry body for UK gas and electricity transmission and distribution licence holders.

ENA represents the interests of its member companies in the ‘wires and pipes’ sectors, promoting the UK energy networks and enabling them to be some of the most reliable, efficient, safest and most sustainable in the world.

Membership is open to all owners and operators of energy networks in the UK. Initially, this means holders of licences for activities such as transmission and/or distribution of electricity and/or gas.

ENA member companies are:
  • CE Electric UK
  • Central Networks
  • EDF Energy
  • Fulcrum
  • Inexus
  • National Grid
  • Northern Gas Networks
  • Northern Ireland Electricity
  • Scottish and Southern Energy
  • Scottish Power
  • Electricity North West
  • Wales & West
  • Western Power Distribution
Our members have taken up the challenge of building a secure, low carbon energy future and we believe that greater competition coupled with regulatory certainty can deliver the goals of security of supply and sustainable networks. Our organisation works to influence decision-makers on issues including:

Regulation and wider representation, both in the UK and Europe
Cost-efficient “in common” engineering services and related business for the benefit of ENA members
Safety, health and environment across the gas and electricity industries

As the voice of the energy networks sector, ENA acts as a strategic focus and communication channel between members and key stakeholders. It seeks to influence and campaign on matters affecting our members – from skills to planning to energy policy – assisting the Government, the Regulator and other key decision-makers by providing context and detailed information to allow more effective legislation and regulations to be drafted.

Although ENA provides a key focus for member companies to focus on day-to-day issues, it also brings together members to address and consider strategic issues:

Security of Supply

Although the UK’s indigenous gas sources still have an important role to play; both as a primary and secondary energy source, further interconnection with Europe and the UK’s dependence on imported gas means that network companies need to consider EU and Global impacts and issues. ENA has therefore been working with members companies to understand and lobby on proposals from Europe in relation to security of supply. We have promoted that there should be robust regional emergency plans in place to ensure co-operation and co-ordination in the event of a wide scale security of supply issue.

Climate Change

ENA’s members are developing effective answers to the questions of climate change, environmental waste and materials management. Flood mitigation and network resilience measures also need to be undertaken and therefore ENA and member companies have worked extensively with Government on the Pitt Review.

The UK’s ambitious 15% renewables target for 2020 equates to a challenging 35%+ share for the electricity sector, but this is a challenge that ENA and member companies are ready to work towards. Developing and deploying new energy technologies, such as smart metering and smart grids will help to integrate all forms of renewable energy, allowing for much greater levels of distributed generation.

ENA and member companies have also been working with Government on renewable gas (bio-methane) injection into the existing gas grid.

Investment

Regulators and policy-makers need to provide certainty and clarity alongside consistent positive messages to encourage large-scale, long-term investment the networks need. Regulators must also allow and reward innovation that delivers the environmental and sustainable benefits we all want to see, with a financial return on capital commensurate with the risks associated with research and development.

ENA works with its members on collaborative research and development using innovative and blue-sky technologies.

Skills

The energy industry is facing a number of critical skills issues:

An aging workforce and shortage of suitably skilled replacement workers
More (projected) jobs in the sector, but a diminishing pool of potential recruits
Strong competition for talent in the global marketplace

ENA supports EU Skills with the intention of increasing the number of skilled workers, especially those with science. ENA and its members aim to make the network sector careers more attractive to young people and hope to encourage good, experienced academic and sector-specific trainers to the energy sector to deliver this.

Safety

Successfully managing both occupational risks and public safety is part of our members’ corporate DNA. ENA covers issues ranging from CO poisoning to contact with overhead lines. Representatives from all major trade unions within the industry, ENA member companies and the UK’s health and safety regulators work together to share ideas and best practice to benefit public and workplace safety.

ENA,
6th Floor,
Dean Bradley House,
52 Horseferry Road,
London,
SW1P 2AF.
Tel: 020 7706 5100
Web: www.energynetworks.org