Energinet now combines system operation of the electricity and gas systems into one, joint System Operator subsidiary. The purpose is to ensure that Energinet can underpin Denmark's very ambitious climate targets in the best possible way.

This organisational change brings together everything from the control centres for electricity and gas, respectively, and the many colleagues who work to ensure the Danes' security of supply here and now, to the departments that think ahead and develop and adapt the energy systems and energy markets to a future with 100% green energy.

- In the first half of the green transition, we have gained a number of climate benefits in the energy sector by, for example, making the electricity system greener, making the gas system greener, making the heating sector greener, etc. In the second half, we need to think across sectors. We will only achieve a fast and efficient transition if we merge the various sectors and systems to a far greater extent, and, naturally, we at Energinet must do everything we can to underpin this, says Thomas Egebo, CEO of Energinet.

In future, power from wind and solar resources must not only ensure 100% green electricity in our sockets, but also push petrol and diesel out of the transport sector as we start driving electric vehicles. In the same way, electric heat pumps etc. must phase out oil and natural gas in the heating of both private houses and in district heating companies. And the rapidly increasing generation of biogas should not only replace natural gas where gas is still needed – the gas sector must also be linked to other sectors to an even greater extent. In future, we will probably need to convert very large quantities of green electricity into hydrogen – hydrogen which may then be transported in existing gas pipes to make both the Danish and the European industry greener. In Power-to-X processes, hydrogen can also be mixed with CO2 from biogas or other molecules and converted into the green fuels of the future for sea transport, aviation, etc.

- Creating one joint system operator, we not only add extra momentum to development and innovation and the extremely complex task of creating and operating an energy system where the vast majority of generation stems from fluctuating sources of energy, such as wind and solar resources. We also make it easier for the many partners and sectors, that we need to cooperate with, to find the right contact, because we will have one joint entry point, says Thomas Egebo and calls it streamlining of the collaboration with the many stakeholders and of the work with new value chains that will arise.

Søren Dupont Kristensen, the current CEO of Energinet’s Electricity System Operator, will head up the new, joint Energinet System Operator. The subsidiary will have approximately 330 employees, with 72 joining the entity from the Gas TSO.

11 employees who work with gas transmission in the current Gas TSO will move to 'Engineering and Construction', where they will work with the colleagues here who also handle operation and maintenance of the gas transmission grid.

Torben Brabo, current CEO of Gas TSO, will have a new and central role in Energinet's international work. Torben Brabo was recently elected president of the European association Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) and will also be chairman of the supervisory board of Energinet's Associated Activities, which helps a number of countries around the world convert to green energy, creating global climate benefits. In future, Torben Brabo will form part of the management team in Energinet’s System Operator.

The organisational changes also entail a number of changes for the many colleagues working within finance. They will move to a consolidated 'Group Finance and Business Support' division, which will strengthen, among other things, proactivity and lead to more efficient decision-making.

The remaining Energinet subsidiaries – Electricity Transmission, Gas Storage Denmark, DataHub etc. – will stay in their current set-ups.

The organisational change will take effect when the necessary authorisations have been obtained.

Update September 1, 2021:
In connection with the final implementation of the organisational change, it has been decided that the company Energinet Gas TSO A/S will change its name to Energinet Gastransmission A/S. The company owns the gas transmissions system and has 11 employees.
The organisational change has come into force.