CIGRE UK is pleased to announce its 2025 Annual Technical Conference, which will bring together leading professionals, industry experts, and academics to engage in critical dialogue on the future of power systems in the context of the UK’s net zero ambitions. This year’s theme, “Reimagining a Resilient Power System to Deliver our Net Zero Future,” reflects the pressing need to evolve our infrastructure, operations, and planning frameworks to ensure system resilience, reliability, and sustainability in an increasingly complex energy landscape. The conference will open with a keynote address by Peter Bingham, Director of Engineering & Technology at OFGEM, who will provide insights into the strategic direction of the UK’s electricity system. We are also honoured to welcome Rannveig Loken, Chair of the CIGRE Technical Council, who will offer a global perspective on the technical challenges and collaborative opportunities driving innovation across the sector. The programme will also feature a Leadership presentation by Anna Ferguson, who will share her professional journey from engineer to CEO, highlighting the value of diversity and leadership in shaping the sector’s future.
A highlight of the day will be the Young Engineers Showcase, where selected early-career professionals will deliver technical presentations as part of a competitive process to earn the opportunity to represent the UK at the CIGRE Paris Session in 2026.
This conference serves as a key platform for knowledge exchange, professional development, and sector-wide collaboration. We invite all members of the power systems community to join us for what promises to be a stimulating and impactful event.
Meeting Details
📅 Date: Thursday 20th November 2025 | 08:30 – 16:00 GMT
📍 Location: The IET Austin Court, 80 Cambridge Street, Birmingham, B1 2NP
🚘 Use this link for travel/parking information: https://austincourt.theiet.org/about/how-to-find-us/
Registration Fee
There is a small registration fee of £10 plus VAT to reserve your space. Non Members can attend for a fee of £35.00. Refreshments and a networking buffet lunch will be provided.
Dress Code
Smart business casual please.
Hotels
There are numerous hotels within walking distance of the event venue (see below). Please make your own booking arrangments.
Leonardo Royal Hotel; Hyatt Regency; Crown Plaza Birmingham City; Holiday Inn Express Birmingham City; Premier Inn Birmingham City; Hilton Garden Inn Birmingham Brindley Place; Novotel Birmingham Centre; Hampton by Hilton Birmingham Broad Street
AGENDA
08:30 | Arrival, Refreshments & Networking
09:00 | Welcome & Opening
James Yu | CIGRE UK Technical Committee Chair
Speaker Biography: James Yu (MBE) is a charted engineer and an elected Fellow at IET (Institute of Engineering and Technology) and Royal Society of Edinburgh. He Chairs CIGRE UK’s Technical Committee and is the convenor of a joint CIGRE Medium Voltage DC Distribution Working Group. James joined the UK electricity transmission/distribution industry after he finished his studies from Newcastle upon Tyne. He has taken various technical, commercial and managerial roles in the industry since 2003. James has been the principal investigator for several flagship innovation projects at the UK and EU level to facilitate the low carbon transition for the electricity sector with a portfolio over £150m. His focus includes data sharing infrastructure, system stability, power electronics, pushing the innovation into business as usual. James has been actively contributing to the ongoing RIIO-T3 engagement and is responsible for the assurance and compliance with the Electricity System Restoration Standards (ESRS).
09:10 | Keynote | The future electricity system – a regulatory perspective
Peter Bingham | Engineering & Technical Director – OFGEM
Synopsis of Presentation : Peter will talk about his career starting out as a power system engineer through to his current role of as Ofgem’s Engineering & Technology Director. He will describe Ofgem’s role in regulating the sector to protect the interests of consumers, whilst promoting clean energy, industrial growth, resilience, and affordability. He will talk about some of the technical challenges we face as a sector and Ofgem’s role in addressing these.
Speaker Biography: Peter is currently the Director of Engineering & Technology at Ofgem, which has a primary duty to protect the interests of electricity and gas consumers. This is a new technically focused directorate within Ofgem’s Infrastructure Group, focused on ensuring regulatory decisions are underpinned by sound technical advice, promoting technical innovation across the sector, and ensuring network companies develop, operate and maintain their infrastructure in the best interests of consumers whilst enabling a clean affordable secure energy system. Prior to this he was Ofgem’s Director of Analysis & Assurance,Interim Cyber Regulation Director, and Director of System Planning, Engineering & Technology, having joined as Chief Engineer in 2017. Prior to Ofgem, Peter had a long career with National Grid, holding several senior leadership roles across Gas and Electricity, Transmission and Distribution, in the UK and in the US, having begun his career with the company as a Power System Design Engineer. Peter is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the IET, with an engineering degree from Imperial College and an MBA from Warwick University.
09:30 | Guest Speaker | CIGRE strategic direction and technical focus
Rannveig Loken | Chair of CIGRE’s Technical Council
Synopsis of Presentation : The presentation will give an overview of CIGRE updated strategy from 2023. It will include the structure of the Technical Council and the technical focus area of the 16 Study Committees. Examples from some of the focus area related to CIGRE and work with the Energy transition is also included. The presentation will also show examples of sharing the unbiased knowledge from CIGRE.
Speaker Biography: Rannveig Loken has worked in the power system sector for more than 30 years. She works for Statnett, the TSO of Norway, and holds a Master of Science in Electric Power engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). She is the Chair of the Norwegian Committee of CIGRE. She has been involved with CIGRE since 2006. She was the Chair of CIGRE SC B5 Protection and Automation between 2018 and 2024. In 2024 she received the Honorary award from CIGRE.
09:45 | Guest Speaker | Network resilience, innovation and urgency
Eric Leavy | Head of Transmission Networks – SPEN
Synopsis of Presentation: An accomplished engineer and esteemed leader tailoring the electricity network development options in the south of Scotland Eric has played a pivotal role in championing system reliability and enhancing grid resilience. He will share with conference the evolution of this priority, the transformative innovations he has envisioned and sponsored [from synchronous condenser to the offshore wind black-start capability], and the integral role network resilience and reliability will continue to play in future system planning.
Speaker Biography: I live in East Lothian and have spent over 50 years since graduation from the University of Strathclyde working in a wide variety of roles in the Scottish Power Transmission and Distribution networks. I have been involved in all aspects of construction, maintenance, asset management and network operations as a working engineer and then in various middle and senior management positions having responsibility for field staff, contractor management, operational control room activities and customer service. Since 2010 I have been responsible for leading and overseeing the development of major transmission reinforcement, network modernisation and connections proposals and the process leading to approval of these schemes for investment. A particular passion since the early days has been supporting and delivering actions towards enhancing network restoration and resilience capabilities including all fault responses up to nationwide Black Start.
10:00 | Guest Speaker | Strategic infrastructure and network resilience
Joseph Northwood | Director of Strategy Infrastructure – National Grid
Synopsis of Presentation: In this presentation, Joseph will outline how the UK’s transmission network is being strategically planned and reinforced to address the twin challenges of rapid decarbonisation and system resilience. He will cover approaches to early-stage development of onshore and offshore transmission projects, integration of emerging technologies, and the role of digitalisation in system planning and operational readiness. Joseph will also discuss resilience measures to ensure secure and reliable operation of England and Wales’ electricity transmission system in the face of increasing demand, renewable variability, and external risks.
Speaker Biography: Joseph Northwood is the Director of Strategic Infrastructure at National Grid, UK. He leads National Grid’s UK electricity transmission portfolio, overseeing early-stage project development of new onshore and offshore transmission infrastructure across England and Wales. He is passionate about implementing new technology, digitalisation and innovation to shape a cleaner and greener future.
10:15 – 11:00 | UK Technical Committee Member Presentations
10:15 | Whole system taskforce – the proposition
Cheng Chen | Head of Modelling at NESO
Synopsis of Presentation: Present the proposal of setting up a taskforce within CIGRE UK to explore a Whole System approach and generating beneficial outcomes for network operators and other key stakeholders within the energy industry as the transition to Net Zero. A working framework is under developed and consultation within the industry is ongoing to explore the best way of delivering this task-force so it can maximise the benefits for all working groups within CIGRE as well as wider interested parties within UK Energy Industry.
Speaker Biography: A highly accomplished and experienced leader in power systems engineering with over 25 years of experience in the energy sector. Currently serving as the Head of Offline Modelling at National Energy System Operator, Cheng Chen has a strong track record in strategic leadership, innovative technology implementation and stakeholder engagement. Known for delivering complex projects and driving organisational change, they excel in both operational and regulatory environments.
10:30 | Resilience in switchgear
Matthew Iles | CIGRE UK A3 Regular Member | Lead Technical Engineer at National Electricity Transmission
Synopsis of Presentation: With several high profile incidents in the last year many utilities and those reliant on energy infrastructure are asking how resilient their networks are. With this presentation I delve into what resilience means, what impacts resilience and specifically how that can be addressed in transmission and distribution equipment.
Speaker Biography : After joining National Grid in 2008 on the Foundation Degree scheme I moved into the Policy team responsible for Type Registration of switchgear at all voltages between 11kV and 400kV, leading in circuit breakers, disconnectors, earth switches and surge arresters, both AIS and GIS. I also wrote technical specifications, strategy and technical guidance. In 2018 I moved into a team supporting field teams resolving issues found during maintenance or following failure, supporting and conducting incident investigations, determining risk of failure and recommending risk mitigation, developing solutions to equipment design issues and managing equipment modification programs. Where appropriate I review maintenance specifications to address failure modes or propose replacement projects where equipment is no longer serviceable. I support National Grids refurbishment centers by developing refurbishment specifications and strategies, providing support and assurance for refurbishment activities, and signing off modifications or design changes. With a technical and practical background in switchgear I provide technical assurance and guidance as a subject matter expert for other parts of National Grid, including supporting projects. I am currently the UK regular member for A3, a member of A3.48 and the A3 Utility Advisory Board.
10:45 | Promoting and enhancing biodiversity and sustainability in the pursuit of Net Zero
Hayley Tripp: CIGRE UK C3 Regular Member | Lead Environmental Engineer – National Grid
Synopsis of Presentation: The clean energy transition requires the most significant overhaul of electricity generation, transmission, and distribution in generations. This shift demands substantial infrastructure development, technological advancements, and policy changes. Study Committee C3 aims to help ensure that biodiversity, sustainability, and stakeholder concerns are embedded within the policies and decision-making processes while delivering the essential infrastructure required. The work of Study Committee C3 will be discussed in its crucial role in ensuring that the clean energy transition is achieved in a sustainable and socially responsible manner, addressing the environmental, technological, and stakeholder challenges involved.
Speaker Biography: Dr Hayley Tripp is the Elected Regular Member of the CIGRE UK Study Committee C3. She is a Lead Environmental Engineer at National Grid, where she manages electric and magnetic field issues for the business. She is also a member of Advisory Group C3-1, and chair of the Electric Power Research Institutions P60 utilities committee and the Electricity Industries Mortality Study Steering Group. Hayley holds a degree in Biology and a PhD in Neuroendocrinology, focusing on the effects of electric and magnetic fields on human health. She is a member of the Royal Society for Biology, the IET and the IES.
11:00 – 11:30 | Comfort Break, Tea/Coffee, Poster Gallery
11:30 | Panel Discussion – Cyber Security, AI, Advanced Telecommunications
John Wright: CIGRE UK B5 Regular Member | GE Vernova Senior Fellow
Jianing Li: CIGRE UK D2 Regular Member | Associate Director – WSP
Synopsis of Presentation: A discussion to highlight the innovations and impact of technologies such as Cyber Security, AI and advancements in telecommunications on the electrification industry. What are the impacts of such technologies on the energy transition now and in the future. How are such advancements able to supplement a rapid growth in renewable energy, lack of Engineers the and shift away from fossil fuel based conventional power systems.
Speaker Biography: John Wright has over 35 years’ experience in the Grid Automation industry and expertise in the complete life cycle of Protection & Control products, systems and solutions. He is a Principal Engineer & Technical Applications Engineer Leader for Europe, Central Asia & Sub-Saharan Africa at GE Vernova. He is a GE Vernova Senior Fellow, Chartered Engineer and IET Fellow, Cigre B5 UK Regular Member and Recipient of the 2021 Cigre B5 Technical Council Award, and 2024 Cigre UK Outstanding contribution award.
Speaker Biography: Jianing Li (PhD, BEng, MIET, MCIGRE, MIEEE, APM PMQ) is an accomplished Associate Consultant leading the Manchester Power Systems team at WSP UK. With a strong background in power systems, he has been instrumental in working with networks and investors to develop advanced models and analyses that enhance grid flexibility and resilience. His experience extends to delivering complex grid compliance assessments and designing innovative solutions that meet the evolving requirements of modern energy systems. Jianing serves as the UK Regular Member for CIGRE Study Committee D2. He was past Chair of the CIGRE UK Next Generation Network, in addition to his past role as Chair of the IEEE UK and Ireland Power and Energy Society Chapter.
12:00 – 12:45 | Networking Lunch & Poster Gallery
12:45 | My journey from a female engineer to CEO
Anna Ferguson: Founder and Managing Director – Blake Clough Consulting
Synopsis of Presentation: My journey from Engineering Undergraduate, through my early career in investment banking/ management consulting, my progression as an engineer and finally establishing Blake Clough Consulting. Covering some of the challenges that I have faced and overcome, as well as my slightly unconventional career path.
Speaker Biography: Anna has 15 years’ of experience in Power Networks and Renewable Energy, including nearly a decade of experience working at Director level with Atkins, TNEI, WSP and now as Managing Director of Blake Clough Consulting. Since Sept 2021 she has grown the Blake Clough team from a small startup to one of the UK’s leading Power Networks consultancies. During her time with Blake Clough, Anna has also developed skills in electrical package management for large offshore wind farms, as well as carrying out complex power systems studies and delivering regulatory and strategic projects. Anna has a broad range of knowledge and experience in areas including electricity regulation, power system economics, technical advisory/ due diligence, innovation, support to generation/ demand/ storage developers and multi-disciplinary project management. She is a Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the IET and an active member of CIGRE, where she sits as a member of its Steering Committee.
13:00 | Advanced modelling and simulation tools at the National HVDC centre
Shangen Tian: Project Lead – National HVDC Centre
Synopsis of Presentation: This presentation will showcase the advanced modelling and simulation tools developed and hosted at the National HVDC Centre, with a focus on their role in supporting both real-world HVDC project studies and the Centre’s ongoing projects. The presentation will begin with an overview of Replica and its contribution to de-risking the Caithness-Moray-Shetland (CMS) HVDC projects. It will also include the latest developments from Project Aquila, which demonstrates how GTSOCs are contributing to multi-vendor, multi-terminal studies in collaboration with technology vendors. These efforts illustrate how Replica and GTSOCs contribute to: De-risking emerging technologies; Demonstrating interoperability; Testing critical aspects such as protection and control. The session will also highlight offline simulation activities using PSCAD, supported by high-performance computing infrastructure at the Centre. A suite of tools will be introduced to enhance both the accuracy and efficiency of simulations, including: A parallel power system event test execution kit; A small signal analysis tool, aligned with NESO-recommended MIMO analysis methods, which has already been shared with core partners of the Centre to support their studies.
Speaker Biography: Dr. Shangen Tian is a Simulation Engineer at the National HVDC Centre, where he serves as Project Lead on several initiatives and provides supporting roles on others. As Project Lead, he has been responsible for projects including multi-terminal HVDC replica management and maintenance, as well as grid-forming energy storage modelling and testing. In addition, he has contributed in supporting roles to offshore wind integration projects and HVDC interoperability studies. Dr. Shangen Tian obtained both his Bachelor’s degree and PhD in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from the University of Strathclyde. His doctoral research focused on offshore HVDC system design, grid-forming converter control, and hybrid converter topologies. He has published several papers in leading international journals and conferences, including IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion and the IET ACDC Conference.
13:15 | Strategic planning of the GB Electricity Transmission System
Bless Kuri: Director of system Engineering & Investment – SSEN Transmission
Synopsis of Presentation: The case for reliable, affordable and sustainable energy supply has been made across the globe. Electricity plays a major role in the energy mix, powering homes, and businesses. In order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, significant efforts are going into the replacement of fossil fuelled electricity generation with renewable generation, while at the same time electricity demand is rising due to the replacement of fossil fuels with electricity in energy applications such as transport, space heating and industrial processes. This is driving unprecedented connection of low carbon technologies to the electricity grid at all levels from low voltages in distribution to the high voltages in transmission networks. This presentation highlights a paradigm shift in how the electricity system is planned, changing from a passive system to a highly dynamic system, with changing system characteristics due to new technologies in supply, demand and network technologies. The presentation then focuses on transmission technologies to enable the connection of large renewable generation resources located remotely from the main demand centres. The pace and scale of transmission development to support the UK Government in meeting its net zero target is driving new ways of planning the system to ensure networks are delivered efficiently. This requires closer working between connecting demand and supply parties, network operators, the system operator, the supply chain, academia communities and wider stakeholders. The role of HVDC and other FACTS technologies is explored in the context why they are needed, the challenges they solve as well as the challenges they bring. Progress to-date is encouraging, but more infrastructure development is required. The presentation will provide the north of Scotland transmission system as a study case to bring these strategic network planning issues to life.
Speaker Biography: Bless Kuri is the Director of System Engineering and Investment at SSEN Transmission, the Electricity Transmission Owner in the north of Scotland where he oversees the strategic planning of the transmission system and connections, taking a whole system approach. Bless has over 25 years’ experience in the electricity industry, specialising in power system planning, energy system integration and investment in distribution and transmission networks. He is the Chair and Regular Member of the CIGRE UK Study Committee C1 on power system development and economics. Bless holds a BSc Honours degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Zimbabwe, an MSc degree in Electrical Power Systems and a PhD in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from the University of Bath.
13:30 | Report of CIGRE Symposium Montreal and latest technical development in A2
Zhongdong Wang | CIGRE UK A2 Regular Member | Professor of Electrical Energy System Infrastructure – University of Manchester
Synopsis of Presentation: Having recently attended the Cigre symposium in Montréal, in this presentation we will report the symposium organisation, technicals scope and attendance. In particular, we will share the latest technical developments in the area of transformers and rectors, presented in the symposium, and discuss some of the key findings which are relevant to the UK electrical power utilities.
Speaker Biography : Prof Zhongdong Wang holds a professorship in electrical energy system infrastructure at the University of Manchester since Sep 2023, prior to this post she was an academic at UMIST and Manchester (Lecturer 2000 to 2007, Senior Lecturer from 2007 to 2009, and professor from 2009 to 2020). She then spent 3 years at Univeristy of Exeter from 2020 to 2023 on the posts of Director of Smart Grid Research Centre, and Pro-Vice Chancellor & Executive Dean of College of Mathematics, Physical Science and Engineering. She is the CIGRE A2 UK regular member, the IEEE and IET Fellow.
13:45|Experiences as Transmission Engineer in Scotland
John Finn: CIGRE UK National Committee Secretary and Independent Consultant.
Synopsis of Presentation: This is intended to be a light hearted presentation recalling some funny but true events from my time as a Transmission engineer with the South of Scotland Electricity Board in the early 70s. Providing a break from the intense technical content of other speakers.
Speaker Biography: John Finn worked initially in the Electricity Supply industry in the UK in protection, operation and maintenance and system studies. He then joined private industry working with contractors on power station and substation projects in the UK and overseas at voltages up to 500kV and as diverse as the initial 400kV supergrid for China Light and Power to project managing the power supplies for the Channel Tunnel between England and France. In his role as an in-house engineering consultant with Siemens in the UK he was involved in developing the onshore and offshore substation designs associated with offshore wind farms. He has been involved in CIGRE as Area Advisor on Substation concepts from 2002 to 2006 and convenor of working groups on “standardisation and innovation” and “guidelines for offshore substations”. He received the Technical Committee award for contributions to Study Committee B3 in 2006 and the Distinguished Member award in 2008. He was the coordinating author for the CIGRE Green Book on Substations and is currently the secretary for the CIGRE UK National Committee.
14:00 |Panel: What can CIGRE do for you?
Adam Middleton: Panel Moderator – EnergetIQ Advisory
Panel includes:
Mark Kent – SPEN
Sabrina Mercer – Siemens Energy
Mark Osborne – National Grid
Gareth Taylor – Brunel University of London
The final shortlisted candidates (listed below) have been invited to take part in a showcase presentation competition in front a panel of judges on Thursday 20th November 2025 at the IET Austin Court, Birmingham. The winners will have the opportunity to attend the CIGRE Paris Session in August 2026 to represent the UK and will be awarded a bursary to support attendance and travel.
PRESENTER LINE-UP
Margi Shah, Cardiff University | SC C2: Scheduling and bidding strategy in electricity and short-term operating reserve markets for steel plants’ demand response.
Wangbiao Zhou, Cardiff University | SC C1: How will the residential heating electrification influence the distribution network: A data-driven planning model.
Haoxiang Zhao, University of Manchester | SC D1: A versatile multi-scale charge transport modelling framework for bridging material properties to insulation performance: application to moisture deterioration in cellulose–oil system.
Callum Barrett, University of Manchester | SC B1: Assessment of water tree formation in XLPE insulation variants to validate design of 132kV wet-type dynamic cables.
Vlad Jarko, University of Manchester | SC D1: Green grids: bio-derived epoxies for next-generation HV insulation.
Danny Guana, University of Manchester | SC D1: Modelling Streamer Propagation Phenomena in Liquid and along Solid-Liquid Interface for Subsea Cable Connector.
Odemadijghi Oye Igenewari, Energyline | CS B2: Feasibility of Horizontal Vee Insulator Configurations for Application in Undulating Terrain.
14:45 – 15:00 | Comfort Break
15:00 – 15:10 | NGN Young Members Showcase Award Winners
15:10 – 15:20 | Closing Remarks
Mark Waldron: Chair CIGRE UK National Committee
15:20 – 16:00 | Reception (Tea/Coffee/Cake) & Networking
