DNOs to DSOs: how soaring demand is changing the face of grid network operation
Key takeaways
- DNOs are traditional, physical owners of grid assets, controlling the transmission of power from the network to the point of delivery.
- Instead of one-way power flow from large power stations, DSOs manage power flowing in multiple directions, including from local solar sites and home batteries, enabling a more flexible grid.
- However, associate researcher at the University of Cambridge Karim Anaya points out that the shift is not instantaneous, calling the transition “a progressive evolution rather than a single switch”.
DNOs to DSOs: how soaring demand is changing the face of grid network operation DNOs are becoming DSOs · Power Technology Eve Thomas Mon, June 15, 2026 at 4:00 PM GMT+7 9 min read In an era of increasing demand and mammoth connection queues, grid operators are moving away from their traditional roles as district network operators (DNOs) and undergoing a foundational change to become district system operators (DSOs).
DNOs are traditional, physical owners of grid assets, controlling the transmission of power from the network to the point of delivery. Meanwhile, DSOs take on a two-way active management role in a decentralised grid.
Conversations around the transition started more than a decade ago and the majority of DNOs worldwide have now tipped into becoming DSOs as soaring demand and grid bottlenecks push operators to integrate flexible and adaptive solutions. Instead of one-way power flow from large power stations, DSOs manage power flowing in multiple directions, including from local solar sites and home batteries, enabling a more flexible grid.