Enabling the DSO transition - A consultation on the ESO’s approach to Distribution System Operation (2021)

So, for readers  here to whom this is new, what is the distinction between an ESO and a DSO and the existing alphabet soup of organisations we have of BNO, IDNO DNO, suppliers and companies that seem to just process bills but do not know their amp from their elbow, or something like that?


Already we see problems where things that should be trivial  like changing meter tails seems to involve 3 or more organisations, and stories of difficulty fitting isolators and finding out service fuse ratings and so forth that make herding cats look simple.


There are very real looming issues of overload with EV charging and the proposed phase out of gas heating, that none of the above seem able to acknowledge.


I'm not convinced that adding another layer that sounds like pure  admin is helpful and so I'd like some explanation of what we are trying to achieve that needs this, ideally written in very plain English,  rather than something that the Department of Administrative Affairs would be proud of.


I see in the response there is mention of 'soft meshing'  which I assume is a reference to using one trafo to prop up another using bidirectional inversion and DC, in built up areas where substations are within a short distance of one another this may be a practical measure to mitigate the LV  level overload, if not at HV.

If that is true, say so, or at least provide a glossary of terms for the unfamiliar reader.

Then say how well or not it works, because that is also key. As an aside I am not sure this technique is much use for the non-city dweller, where the spacing means that interconnection at LV or even a KV or three, would be prohibitive. Again, numbers would help.


There are many things that should be pushed, like encouraging 3 phase to the house, as some areas, such as WP seem to be doing already, and more generally harmoninsing best practice and exchange of statistics between DNOs but we do not need another organisation for that, just reinforcement of the networks that already exist.

Then there are more advanced options such as uplift of some 230/400 3 phase to 400/690, and we could (god forbid, a foreign idea) even consider 690/1k2 as an interconnect method, or even as a supply to larger sites.

 I may sound negative, but really this needs better explanation of the purpose. More generally, organisations, meetings and so forth are not free, they are a financial burden to someone, and that always needs to be justified.

Unless of course the intention is to merge some of the existing organisations, so the distinctions no longer exist and some folk can be eliminated - and again, if this is on the table it needs to be made clear.

best regards

Mike.

So, for readers  here to whom this is new, what is the distinction between an ESO and a DSO and the existing alphabet soup of organisations we have of BNO, IDNO DNO, suppliers and companies that seem to just process bills but do not know their amp from their elbow, or something like that?


Already we see problems where things that should be trivial  like changing meter tails seems to involve 3 or more organisations, and stories of difficulty fitting isolators and finding out service fuse ratings and so forth that make herding cats look simple.


There are very real looming issues of overload with EV charging and the proposed phase out of gas heating, that none of the above seem able to acknowledge.


I'm not convinced that adding another layer that sounds like pure  admin is helpful and so I'd like some explanation of what we are trying to achieve that needs this, ideally written in very plain English,  rather than something that the Department of Administrative Affairs would be proud of.


I see in the response there is mention of 'soft meshing'  which I assume is a reference to using one trafo to prop up another using bidirectional inversion and DC, in built up areas where substations are within a short distance of one another this may be a practical measure to mitigate the LV  level overload, if not at HV.

If that is true, say so, or at least provide a glossary of terms for the unfamiliar reader.

Then say how well or not it works, because that is also key. As an aside I am not sure this technique is much use for the non-city dweller, where the spacing means that interconnection at LV or even a KV or three, would be prohibitive. Again, numbers would help.


There are many things that should be pushed, like encouraging 3 phase to the house, as some areas, such as WP seem to be doing already, and more generally harmoninsing best practice and exchange of statistics between DNOs but we do not need another organisation for that, just reinforcement of the networks that already exist.

Then there are more advanced options such as uplift of some 230/400 3 phase to 400/690, and we could (god forbid, a foreign idea) even consider 690/1k2 as an interconnect method, or even as a supply to larger sites.

 I may sound negative, but really this needs better explanation of the purpose. More generally, organisations, meetings and so forth are not free, they are a financial burden to someone, and that always needs to be justified.

Unless of course the intention is to merge some of the existing organisations, so the distinctions no longer exist and some folk can be eliminated - and again, if this is on the table it needs to be made clear.

best regards

Mike.