The head of Britain’s electricity grid has insisted he is the right man for the job as MPs challenged him over an alleged “toxic culture” at the Government-owned body.
Fintan Slye, chief executive of the National Energy System Operator (Neso), said his staff had confidence in him and vowed to improve “cultural issues”.
Neso, which runs Britain’s energy grid, came under pressure after whistleblowers alleged it concealed blackout risks during the summer heatwaves.
They further claimed that staff from the corporate affairs team had interfered with operational matters.
An independent report by law firm Eversheds Sutherland found that, while these claims were unsubstantiated, staff were working under “high levels of operational stress”.
They felt their concerns went unheard “because of the need to keep external stakeholders happy”, it revealed.
Mr Slye and Neso Chief Operating Officer, Kayte O’Neill, were both called to give evidence before Parliament’s Energy Security and Net Zero committee.
Chair Bill Esterson asked Mr Slye if he believed he was the right man to lead Neso forward.
Mr Slye replied: “I believe I am. I am absolutely committed to the organisation, to its mission.
“I think it is an absolutely phenomenal group of people who do a phenomenal job delivering for the country, society and the economy.”
He went on: “It is really hard, obviously, as chief executive, when you read a report such as the one that was published.
“I think the helpful thing is it pointed to the things that need to be done, and I am completely committed to ensuring those things are delivered.”
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He said that whether or not he received a bonus was a matter for Neso’s independent pay committee.
Labour MP Mike Reader claimed Neso had a “toxic culture” and “a leadership that didn’t know it had a toxic culture”.
He asked: “How can people be assured their lights won’t go out this winter?”
Ms O’Neill replied: “The security and resilience of the system is our number one priority. It has always been our number one priority and it continues to be.”
Mr Slye told the MPs that the UK, like much of Europe, had experienced extreme weather in June. But the system had coped, he said.
He explained: “It was an absolutely exceptional period of extreme weather which placed significant stress on the electricity system in Great Britain, and, indeed, on electricity systems right around Europe.
“And despite this, our operation and control room teams did a phenomenal job. No customer was disconnected and the frequency remained within the required statutory limits at all times.”
He said that while the Eversheds report “did not substantiate any of the four allegations made against Neso”, it did “identify other organisational and cultural issues where we need to improve”.
Mr Slye added: “Delivering those recommendations is a priority for me, for the executive and for all of the board.”
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