Inside NESO’s mission to build a digital-first energy system for GB

On this episode of the Hypercube Energy Podcast, Adam Sroka speaks with Carolina Tortora, Head of AI, Innovation and Digitalisation at NESO. Carolina works at the centre of Great Britain’s energy system, leading efforts to modernise how the sector uses data, digital tools, and AI as complexity and decentralisation increase.

The conversation explores why digital transformation is now essential for system resilience and net zero, the cultural challenge of aligning engineering and digital teams, and the role of data quality and secure data sharing in enabling innovation. Carolina also discusses the ambition behind the Data Sharing Infrastructure (DSI), the realities of deploying innovation in critical infrastructure, and what NESO is looking for through its Call for Ideas.

Adam and Carolina cover:

• Carolina’s role leading AI, innovation, and digitalisation at NESO
• Why digital transformation is critical for a resilient, net zero energy system
• Cultural challenges between engineering expertise and digital capability
• Data quality, governance, and the foundations for effective AI
• The Data Sharing Infrastructure and sector-wide collaboration
• Balancing innovation with operational risk in critical infrastructure
• What NESO is looking for through its innovation-focused Call for Ideas