Stedin, Alliander, and Enexis
Collaborating to accelerate the energy transition
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The three major distribution systems operators (DSOs) in the Netherlands face challenging targets for expanding the grid to enable the transition to clean energy. Digitalisation is vital to optimising the grid’s current capacity – but digital skills are scarce. Furthermore, by combining skills, the three DSOs can enhance their energy transition ambitions.
We worked with Enexis Group, Stedin Group, and Alliander to create a practical and flexible framework for collaboration. This enables digital teams to launch shared IT projects according to an agreed process without each team discovering the prerequisites and way of working by themselves. With the framework in place, over ten collaborative projects are already underway. Together they’ll shape the IT infrastructure vital to accelerating the energy transition.
Speeding up innovation through collaboration
Bringing clean power to homes and businesses presents huge demands for distribution systems operators (DSOs). Upgrades to existing infrastructure will be needed to carry more energy from renewable sources – but new cables and transformers will take years to build. In the meantime, new digital solutions can help manage energy use and optimise existing grid capacity. Real-time monitoring solutions, for example, can help encourage consumers to adjust their energy usage and make better use of available resources. However, a shortage of digital skills makes this a difficult proposition.
To address this, the three major DSOs in the Netherlands – Enexis Group, Stedin Group, and Alliander – decided to collaborate to develop new IT solutions. This approach promises benefits beyond cost sharing and maximising available digital talent. By working together, the three organisations aim to achieve a gradual convergence in their IT landscapes, accelerating innovation, and improving efficiency across the sector.
Making collaboration easy, not complex
For the DSOs, the advantages of collaboration were clear. The challenge was knowing where to start. Formal mechanisms such a joint ventures or even shared services centres are notoriously difficult and time-consuming to establish.
The DSOs knew of our previous experience around inter-organisational collaboration, designing operating models, and scaling Enexis’ agile capability. We knew the solution lay in developing a collaboration playbook outlining a step-by-step approach for initiating, prioritising, funding, and executing joint projects.
Enexis has a critical role to play in delivering the energy transition. We knew that collaborating beyond our own organisation would help us realise our mission. But we needed to understand how to do it quickly and effectively. The pressure to expand grid capacity meant there was no time to lose.”
Developing a practical framework for digital teams
Already a trusted advisor to Enexis, we began working with the three DSOs to shape a practical model for collaboration. “A priority was to ensure that the appetite for collaboration wasn’t stifled by complicated protocols and governance issues at the start of each new project,” explained PA’s Operating Model expert, Pim Masselink.
The result was a flexible collaboration approach offering options for different degrees of collaboration, all described in the playbook. For example, entry-level collaboration might involve agreeing common processes and practices across a project or setting up a cross-organisation virtual team. Closer collaboration could involve one DSO delivering an IT service for all three. At the highest level, a joint venture would enable maximum collaboration.
In addition to the playbook, we worked with an internal team of legal experts to write a collaboration framework agreement to cover all generic aspects of joint projects. Examples included how to deal with EU regulation around tender and competition law, intellectual property, compliance, etc.
The playbook and the legal framework agreement enables teams to get projects moving fast and to focus their energy on innovation, rather than on setting up the terms of engagement.”
Rapid innovation in real life
Eighteen months in, over ten projects guided by the framework are already underway. These include a shared software platform for the next generation of smart meters and a new app to enable service engineers from all three DSOs to log in for safer access to sub-stations.
The collaboration between the DSOs is already yielding valuable digital solutions that will help customers navigate the energy transition. Simple measures like notifying customers on the best times to charge electrical vehicles will make a difference. Meanwhile, business customers can expect more accurate information on when they can access the capacity they need. Together, these efforts will help accelerate the shift to clean energy and show how practical collaboration can turn ambitious goals into reality.
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