Interview with Nia Lowe, Head of DSO at SP Energy Networks

For decades, the electricity network functioned like a one-way motorway: energy was generated in large power stations and travelled directly to our homes or points of consumption. However, the arrival in our daily lives of so-called distributed resources – rooftop solar panels, electric cars and batteries – has completely transformed this landscape. Today, users not only consume energy but also generate, store and share it.

In this new landscape, a key figure has emerged, albeit one that is still unknown to many: distribution system operators, known as DSOs. We spoke to Nia Lowe, Head of DSO at SP Energy Networks (a subsidiary of the Iberdrola Group in the UK). As a child she dreamt of becoming an astronaut or a dancer but eventually discovered her true passion in electrical engineering. After more than 33 years with the company,she explains how technology and data are making the local network more flexible, smarter and better prepared for a 100% decarbonised future.

A new role for the distribution network: from a passive model to an active platform

For someone who hasn't heard of a distribution system operator (DSO), how would you explain its role within the electricity system?

I would describe the DSO as the part of the electricity system that is driving the shift towards a smart and dynamic model, ensuring that the local grid can support the way energy is produced, consumed and shared today.

Traditionally, electricity flowed in a single direction: from large power stations through the transmission system, down through local distribution networks to homes and businesses. That world has changed. We now have solar panels on rooftops, batteries, electric vehicles, heat pumps and distributed generation, alongside customers who can actively choose when to use or feed energy into the network. This is compounded by a global trend towards the electrification of transport, heating and industrial processes, which is driving up electricity consumption.

The DSO's role is to plan and operate the distribution network in a much more proactive and collaborative manner, involving connected customers, industry stakeholders and other networks. This means using data, forecasts, flexibility markets and operational tools to make better use of the network we already have while ensuring that the right investments are made at the right time.

A simple way of looking at it is this: the DSO helps transform the local electricity network from a collection of passive cables into an active platform for decarbonisation.

For decades, the electricity network functioned as a largely passive infrastructure. What has changed to mean that today we need a more active and smart grid?

The biggest change is that the electricity system is no longer as predictable as it used to be. Demand used to be relatively stable and electricity generation was largely centralised. Today, we have more renewable generation, more low-emission technologies and more customers connecting assets capable of consuming, generating or storing electricity.

This presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Electric vehicles and heat pumps can increase demand at certain times and in certain places. Meanwhile, batteries and flexible assets can help manage congestion if we are able to identify, predict and coordinate them effectively. The growing use of electricity also places greater demands on the grid. Traditionally, we would have addressed this by building more grid infrastructure, but the scale and nature of this increase mean that this is neither economically nor practically viable. We need to make the grid work more intelligently to make better use of existing infrastructure and manage just how much new grid infrastructure needs to be built.

That is why the networks must become smarter. We need greater visibility of what is happening, better forecasts of what might happen next and more tools to take action before constraints turn into problems.

Day-to-day network operations: real-time management

What is a typical day like for a Distribution System Operations Manager at SP Energy Networks?

No two days are the same, which is what makes this role so exciting. My working day often alternates between strategic decisions about the future of the network and very practical considerations about how we operate it today. These discussions may be with other departments within SP Energy Networks External link, opens in new window. or Iberdrola, or with other network operators, regional bodies or the regulator.

The team tackles issues such as where bottlenecks are emerging, what data we need to publish to help customers and industry stakeholders, where flexibility can offer a better or faster solution than traditional grid reinforcement and how we coordinate with other parts of the energy system. We work closely with teams responsible for planning, operations, connections, flexibility, regulation, innovation and stakeholder engagement. 

Much of our decision-making involves balancing competing priorities. We need to safeguard reliability and safety, support customers who wish to connect to the network, enable clean technologies and do all this cost-effectively. We also consider how our activities create wider value: for consumers, communities, the economy and the environment.

How has the role of a network operator changed? In practice, what does managing an electricity network in real time mean?

The role has shifted from being primarily about building, maintaining and repairing assets to actively managing a dynamic system. That does not mean that traditional responsibilities have disappeared; safety, reliability and resilience remain fundamental. But we now need to do much more in real time or near real time.

In practical terms, this means having much better visibility of energy flows, constraints, outages and customer behaviour across the entire network. It means being able to anticipate where demand or generation might cause strain and then choose the best operational response. That response might involve a grid manoeuvre, voltage control, the dispatch of flexibility services, coordination with the transmission system or short-term operational decisions that prevent unnecessary disruptions to customers.

Technology, data and flexibility: the pillars of smart grids

Solar panels, electric vehicles and heat pumps are becoming increasingly common. What challenges and opportunities do these distributed energy resources present?

They present a very real operational challenge because they change the way the electricity network is used. Electric vehicles and heat pumps can increase demand peaks, especially if many customers use them at the same time. Solar panels can generate local feed-in peaks, sometimes in places where the electricity network was originally designed primarily to deliver energy to customers, not to receive it back.

However, I see distributed energy resources as much of an opportunity as a challenge. If we can coordinate them effectively, they can become part of the solution. Batteries, electric vehicle chargers, generation assets and flexible demand can help manage congestion, strengthen resilience, reduce renewable energy curtailment and make better use of existing grid capacity. This is where flexibility becomes so important. Flexibility services enable the grid operator to ask suppliers to adjust their generation or demand for the benefit of the system.

What makes a grid truly “smart”, and what technologies are driving this transformation?

A smart grid is not just a grid with more technology installed. It is a grid capable of seeing more, understanding more and acting more intelligently.

For me, a truly smart grid combines three characteristics. First, visibility: we need data from monitoring, sensors, smart meters, substations and connected assets. Second, intelligence: we need forecasts, analytics and tools that transform that data into operational knowledge. Third, action: we need the ability to respond, whether through automation, voltage control, flexibility services or targeted investments.

The technologies driving this transformation include advanced monitoring, digital platforms, smart meters, automation, telecommunications, AI-based analytics, digital twins, flexibility market platforms and active network management. However, technology only matters if it improves outcomes for customers.

Network operation is shifting from reacting to anticipating. How do data, advanced monitoring and tools such as digital twins help to make better decisions?

Data helps us move from assumptions to evidence. In the past, operators tended to have limited visibility of what was happening at the lower-voltage levels of the network. As more clean technologies are connected, that is no longer sufficient. We need to understand what is happening at a much more granular level.  

Advanced monitoring gives us a clearer picture of current conditions. Forecasts help us understand what might happen next. Digital twins allow us to model networks, test scenarios and understand the likely impact of different decisions before taking action in the real world.  

This transforms the quality of decision-making. It means we can identify congestion earlier, compare flexibility with traditional reinforcement, understand the impacts on customers and make more transparent decisions. It helps to evolve the DSO's model from a reactive one to one where we can anticipate, plan and act with greater confidence.

What do we mean by energy flexibility and why is it becoming a key tool for operating the networks more efficiently?

Energy flexibility is the ability to adjust when or how electricity is generated, consumed or stored in response to a signal or system requirement.  

For example, a battery can discharge when the electricity network is under strain. A generator can increase or reduce its output. A group of electric vehicle chargers can shift demand away from peak hours. A business customer can adjust their consumption for a short period. The important thing is that customers and suppliers are compensated for helping the electricity network to operate more efficiently.

Flexibility is key because it gives us more options. Traditionally, if part of the network reached its maximum capacity, the response was usually to physically upgrade the infrastructure. Upgrading remains essential, but flexibility can sometimes offer a faster, lower-cost or more targeted solution. It helps to manage bottlenecks, provide support during outages, reduce renewable energy curtailment and create new opportunities for customers and communities to participate in the energy system.

The strength of belonging to a global group like Iberdrola

SP Energy Networks is part of the Iberdrola Group, one of the world's largest operators of electricity networks. How does being part of an international group help to drive the evolution of the DSO model and accelerate the energy transition?

Being part of Iberdrola gives us access to a much broader range of expertise, capabilities and innovation. The energy transition is not taking place in just one country. Network operators around the world face similar challenges: electrification, integration of renewables, digitalisation, customer engagement, resilience and affordability.  

The value of being part of a large group is that we can learn from what works elsewhere, share technical knowledge, scale up innovation and apply global expertise to local management. This is crucial because many of the challenges facing DSOs are common: how to make better use of data, how to roll out smart grids, how to integrate distributed resources and how to create more flexible and resilient systems.  

The talent needed to operate tomorrow's energy system

What sort of talent does a modern DSO team need and what opportunities does this field offer to the next generation?

A modern DSO team requires a very broad mix of talent. We still need a solid grounding in engineering because the fundamentals of operating an electricity network safely and reliably remain essential. However, we also need professionals with skills in data science, digital systems, markets, forecasting, business design, stakeholder relations, regulation, innovation and customer strategy. What makes the DSO sector so stimulating is that it lies at the intersection of all these disciplines. It is technical, but also commercial and strategic.

For the younger generations, the opportunity is enormous. It is a sector where you can work on some of the most critical challenges of our time: decarbonisation, energy security, affordable prices, digitalisation and social value. You can see the direct impact of your work in the real world.

What role do electricity networks play in the energy transition? Why would you encourage a young professional to pursue a career in this field?

Electricity networks are one of the essential enablers of the energy transition. We cannot decarbonise transport, heating or industry unless the network is ready to connect and manage the technologies that make this possible.

It is in the networks where a customer connects an electric car charger, where a region connects renewable generation, where a company electrifies its processes or where a local authority develops its net zero emissions plans. The electricity networks must enable all of this while maintaining reliability, resilience and affordable costs.  

I would encourage any young professional to join this sector because this is where you can make a real difference. You're not working on an abstract problem; you're helping to build the infrastructure that society will rely on for decades to come. It's a sector that needs engineers, analysts, digital specialists, economists, communicators and innovators. It offers a clear purpose, complexity and impact, and it's a field where the decisions we make today will determine how quickly and fairly we achieve the energy transition.