Key Facts
- National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) plays a crucial role in powering the UK.
- With a mission to achieve Net Zero, it needed to modernise its approach to data.
- With Indicium AI's expertise, National Grid now treats data as a product, implementing this across the organisation.
- NGET has reduced the manual effort needed to gain insight and is powering a road to Net Zero.
A Modern Approach to Data to Power the Net Zero Transition
National Grid plays a vital role in connecting millions of people to the energy they use, while continually seeking ways to make the energy system cleaner.
NGET develops, owns and maintains the physical infrastructure, such as the pylons, substations and cables, needed to move the electricity generated from wind farms and power sources around the country.
To deliver on their strategy and enable scaled operational efficiency, NGET embarked on a journey with Indicium AI to reimagine how they operate as a modern data driven and AI enabled connected utilities provider.
Being able to access, trust and utilise data safely and use it as the fuel to realise insights from AI brings massive opportunities for efficiency gains across NGET’s core business activities - ultimately resulting in many millions of pounds in operational efficiencies realised in managing the grid & accelerating Net Zero.
"We need to reimagine our business. We need to work in agile and iterative ways. And then we need to find frontier tech to make the difference that we need to make. We needed the next data paradigm, something that was next, not now. And that was what Indicium AI really brought to the table."
Sarah Milton-Hunt, CIO, National Grid Electricity Transmission
A Focus on Real-life Problems and Opportunities
Working with National Grid, Indicium AI set about to define the future data and AI strategy through two four-week discovery phases across each business area. This enabled Indicium AI & NGET teams to identify the challenges, opportunities and identify real-life use cases to begin the transformation.
Executing on the Strategy
In order to demonstrate the power of modern approaches to data and AI, Indicium AI and National Grid focused on real business problems and opportunities with measurable business benefits across a number of core National Grid business areas.
We use digital incubators to establish the feasibility, usability and business case for each Data & AI opportunity, before taking the most critical business opportunities forward into production delivery of new capabilities enabling very significant real world business benefit.
Key initiatives included developing a data-driven aid for risk management, leveraging machine learning for SF6 leakage tracking to meet Net Zero goals, implementing AI-driven operations for intelligent planning, and streamlining the Regulatory Reporting Pack (RRP) process.
"With Indicium AI, we set up data as a product and we moved the organisation into the same digital operating structure. Very quickly, we solved some really horrible problems within the organisation, because they were living every day with them. We had an activity that was a significant administrative overhead - to get to it was so much work, in the thousands of hours of manpower to do it, and you had to then never touch it for three months. We changed that to costing about £12 to run the data and you can run instantly and as many times as you want, for significantly less money and have insight faster."
Sarah Milton-Hunt, CIO, National Grid Electricity Transmission
Improved Resource Allocation and Informed Decisioning for Net Zero
Working with Indicium AI, National Grid have delivered on the first phase of their data transformation program that has enabled the organisation to:
Enable data-driven operational efficiency across the organisation: By successfully implementing a decentralised Data Operating Model and Product Strategy, teams across National Grid are empowered to utilise data, analytics and machine learning to drive informed decisions.
Enhance operational effectiveness: Reducing manual effort and removing duplication of work allows National Grid to better allocate their resources, proactively resolve asset performance issues and optimise delivery.
Develop a data-driven, AI enabled culture: By increasing accessibility, quality, trust and commitment from leadership, National Grid is transforming their culture into one where data is woven into the operations, mindset, and identity of the organisation.
Pioneer innovation within the business: By introducing new approaches and cutting-edge technologies, National Grid has been able to boost in-house capabilities and introduce innovative data practices that directly enable meaningful business outcomes.
Accelerate advancement towards their Net Zero goals: The ability to run accurate and timely reports on their current status, allows the organisation an exact view on where they are against their goals. They can now make informed, data-driven decisions to optimise current and future efforts and enable quick action based on the results.
"I wanted to work with a partner so we could build the organisational capability. Where I'm excited to see the future go, is how we continue to partner to push the boundaries. I think it gives us the opportunity and the platform to do some really special and interesting innovations, and I'd love to see that continue with Indicium AI."
Sarah Milton-Hunt, CIO, National Grid Electricity Transmission
The outcomes highlight the early success of the data transformation program, enabling data-driven operational efficiency, enhancing effectiveness, fostering a data-driven culture, pioneering innovation, and accelerating progress towards Net Zero goals.
National Grid now makes informed decisions, optimises how it spends resources, and takes quick actions based on accurate and timely data.
Indicium AI together with National Grid Electricity Transmission are excited for the next phase of our journey to enable Net Zero with Data & AI.
