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“I believe we can continue to improve our efficiency and profitability, without compromising the reliability and integrity of our operations, for the benefit of all our stakeholders.”NICK WINSER, GROUP DIRECTOR
Digital television
National Grid Wireless has a strong position in the growing digital television market. We hold two of the six UK digital terrestrial television licences and provide infrastructure services to all Freeview channels including the BBC and BSkyB.
During the year, the business successfully increased capacity on its multiplexes (used for digital broadcasting) to launch three new channels. This was made possible by taking advantage of improvements in infrastructure technology and maximising the value of scarce digital capacity.
This has allowed viewers of the Freeview service to have a greater variety of channels to choose from.
London connection
In September 2005, National Grid completed its £200 million London infrastructure tunnel project that links Elstree in Hertfordshire to St John’s Wood, North London. This 12-mile tunnel houses the longest 400 kilovolt (kV) crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) cable circuit in Europe. XLPE cable is insulated and cooled without the use of oil and hence is more environmentally friendly than traditional oil-cooled cables.
This project represents a major investment by National Grid to reinforce the transmission system. The new 400 kV circuit will enable us to continue to meet London’s demand for electricity. By constructing a tunnel, most of the works carried out underground were invisible, inaudible at ground level and minimised traffic disruption.
Since works started in March 2000, in addition to the 12-mile tunnel, seven head house buildings and two new 400 kV substations have been constructed at existing National Grid sites at Elstree and St John’s Wood.
Following completion of the ‘Way Ahead’ restructuring programme in UK gas distribution, a series of strategic development initiatives has been successfully delivered in support of our aim to be the most efficient UK gas distribution network. Centralisation of many key processes has enabled us to place increased emphasis on safety and efficiency while sharing best practice across the organisation and delivering our office rationalisation programme. Having completed the Way Ahead transformation, we are now concentrating on continuous improvement techniques to refine our existing business processes.
Throughout the year, we have continued to derive further value from the procurement of property services for the UK businesses. This has been achieved by aggregating our business needs which in turn has enabled us to leverage better value from our supply chain. In addition, we continue to share best practice across the whole portfolio thus enabling us to maximise efficiencies in the delivery and administration of property services, while providing optimal service levels to occupiers.
Work and Asset Management (WAM) aims to reshape the way the Company manages its electricity transmission system assets in the UK.
WAM is about finding a smarter way of doing things. The changes to business processes supported by WAM and the implementation of new information systems will enable us to be smarter in capital planning, target investment more effectively and gain procurement efficiencies.
‘MWork’ is National Grid’s new mobile work management system in the US that automates the way work and work-related information are scheduled, received and reported in the field. MWork enhances the process of dispatching and managing work in the field ultimately to provide better customer service through cost-efficient and consistent work practices throughout National Grid’s US service territory.
All metering services and certain operations field workers and supervisors who use MWork will have computers in their vehicles that provide real-time information online and right at their fingertips to help them serve customers more efficiently and effectively. MWork provides optimised routing assignments and all of the information necessary to perform and report work, including allocating work orders from the Customer Service and Operations systems, real-time work status and job closeouts – all delivered via the wireless computer in vehicles.
National Grid’s UK electricity transmission business uses a similar version of this technology called ‘Office in the Hand’, and our UK gas distribution business uses another version called ‘Quarterback5’.
Available to businesses via their gas suppliers, our UK National Grid Metering business is now installing smart meter units for monthly and six-monthly read gas meters. The new technology logs data remotely and uses either SMS text message or GPRS to send the meter reading data to the customer.
Without any disruption to supply, a bolt-on device is connected to the frequency output of the meter and counts the number of pulses as gas passes through it, converts them into a reading and then transmits the data to a digital hub using mobile communications. This accurate information is then forwarded to gas suppliers to provide consumption profiles at regular intervals. Benefits to commercial users include synchronised billing for multiple sites, identification of energy wastage and better management of cost.
National Grid is working to assist the successful delivery of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games through a range of activities. We are working with the London Development Agency and the Olympic Delivery Authority, primarily in the undergrounding of the power lines crossing the Olympic Park site in the Lower Lea Valley, to ensure continued security of electricity and gas supplies to the area. National Grid is also one of the two infrastructure providers for the UK digital switchover, due to take place by 2012.