Skip to main navigation

Our response to coronavirus

Find out how we're working to keep the lights on in Great Britain throughout COVID-19.
Read more
Home
ESO
  • ESO
  • Group PLC
  • NG in the UK
  • NG in the US
  • About us
  • Careers
  • Investors
  • Data Portal
  • News
  • Contact us
  • Back
  • Who we are
    • Back
    • Home
    • Who we are
    • What we do
    • Our people
    • How we're organised
    • Meet the board
  • Electricity explained
    • Back
    • Home
    • Electricity explained
    • Monthly Insights
    • Zero carbon explained
    • Carbon intensity explained
    • Electric cars explained
    • Power cuts explained
  • Future of energy
    • Back
    • Home
    • Future of energy
    • Future Energy Scenarios (FES)
    • Innovation
      • Back
      • Future of energy
      • Innovation
      • Strategy
      • News and events
      • Get involved
    • Projects
      • Back
      • Future of energy
      • Projects
      • Early Competition Plan
      • Offshore Coordination Project
      • Distributed ReStart
  • Industry information
    • Back
    • Home
    • Industry information
    • Connections
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Connections
      • Our role in connections
      • The connections offer process
      • Your connections journey
      • Reports and registers
      • Use of System (UoS) and Virtual Lead Party (VLP)
      • Connections help and support
    • Balancing Services
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Balancing Services
      • Frequency response services
      • Reserve services
      • System security services
      • Reactive power services
      • Trading
      • Settlements
      • Balancing Mechanism Wider Access
      • Get involved
    • Charging
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Charging
      • Balancing Services Use of System (BSUoS) charges
      • Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) charges
      • Assistance for Areas with High Electricity Distribution Costs (AAHEDC)
      • Connection charges
      • Charging guidance
      • Charging policy developments
      • Charging statements
      • Submit a charging query
    • Codes Homepage
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Codes Homepage
      • Connection and Use of System Code (CUSC)
      • Grid Code (GC)
      • System Operator Transmission Owner Code
      • Security and Quality of Supply Standard (SQSS)
      • Balancing Settlement Code (BSC)
      • European Network Codes (ENC)
      • Codes calendar
      • Code changes: Beginner's Guide
      • About the Codes Team
    • Industry Data and Reports
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Industry Data and Reports
      • System Incidents Report
      • Balancing services performance monitoring report
      • Data finder and explorer
      • Forecast volumes and costs
      • GB Electricity System Operator Daily Reports
      • System balancing reports
      • Monthly transmission loss data (4l)
      • System constraints
      • Voltage costs
    • Keeping the lights on throughout coronavirus
    • Accelerated Loss of Mains applications
    • Our consultation responses
  • Our strategy
    • Back
    • Home
    • Our strategy
    • Forward Plan
      • Back
      • Our strategy
      • Forward Plan
      • How we're performing
    • Annual report and accounts
      • Back
      • Our strategy
      • Annual report and accounts
      • Annual report 2019/20
    • RIIO
      • Back
      • Our strategy
      • RIIO
      • RIIO-2 final business plan
      • Future planning 2021 onwards
      • Have your say on our future plan
      • RIIO-2 Stakeholder Group
  • Research & publications
    • Back
    • Home
    • Research & publications
    • Whole electricity system
    • Summer Outlook
    • Winter Outlook
    • ​Electricity Ten Year Statement (ETYS)
    • Network Options Assessment (NOA)
      • Back
      • Research & publications
      • Network Options Assessment (NOA)
      • Network Development Roadmap
    • System Operability Framework (SOF)
    • Future of balancing services
    • Transmission performance reports
    • Regional Development Programmes
National Grid ESO - female engineer

A Day in the Life of a Technical Manager - Offshore Coordination

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

1st December 2020 - Our people

Our colleagues are at the heart of the ESO, working hard to operate a safe and reliable electricity system, whilst supporting the transition to a greener, and more efficient system for future generations. 

Dr Biljana Stojkovska, Technical Manager for Offshore Coordination and Power Potential Project Lead, gives us an insight into her time at the ESO.

What was your background before you joined ESO and what made you decide to become an engineer? 

I was good at sports, maths and physics at school and I find mathematical problems easy.  

I also enjoy science and therefore engineering was the perfect route for me to take. When you have a natural talent at something it’s an easy choice to make. 

Growing up in the former Yugoslavia (modern day Slovenia and North Macedonia), engineering was a prestigious profession just like being a doctor is here. I wanted a well-paid, respected and rewarding job. 

I did my undergraduate degree in Macedonia, my masters in Slovenia and then my PhD in Power System Economics at Imperial College London. A lot of my PhD covered transmission investment for renewable generation and what network should we build for the future, which is a good foundation for all transmission planning activities. 

Can you tell us about your role? 

This is my 10th year at the ESO and I joined right after completing my PhD. I was direct entry rather than a graduate. 

I started in power system design, then progressed to other engineering and leadership roles. 

Now I focus on innovation and offshore co-ordination and I really enjoy both roles. 

I have a passion for innovation. I’m proud to have worked on a world first project for a reactive power market from small generators.

It’s nice to be able to look at the data now the trials are live and see how it’s working. Together with project partners we designed an end to end system, which will provide a reactive power service for the control room.  

Offshore coordination is a much more strategic role and involves long term network planning. My vision is how the network will look with increased offshore wind. 

Offshore wind is becoming extremely important to our zero-carbon future, so a network which allows deployment of up to 100GW is crucial. Many technologies will play an important role like High Voltage Direct Current lines, and DC circuit breakers. 

Currently I lead a team of consultants to develop the technical solutions. Then we consult widely with stakeholders to shape our thinking. Often my vision is correct but it’s vital to engage with our stakeholders who will ask valid questions to make the concept easier and better. 

I feel it’s important to focus on the engineering and commercial solutions while managing political expectations.  We need a vision and a commercial solution and that’s my teams focus. 

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted you and your work? 

Overall I’ve coped well with lockdown, but it’s not always been easy. It was a challenge to work on my own much more, and I’ve been a lot busier. I do feel that people are supporting each other more and there is a lot more collaboration. 

Working from home is good to get peace and quiet when you need to get your head down into something. However, I’m a people person and I’m looking forward to getting back to normal face to face interaction in the office! 

I managed to get some time away in Greece and I went to see my parents just before the second lockdown started. I’m aware many people haven’t been lucky enough to get abroad in 2020. 

I’ve kept up my fitness during the year – running, cycling, yoga and outdoor swimming (when possible) to help me with my determination and perseverance during these difficult times. 

I used to compete in athletics as a sprinter, and I played semi-professional handball in the national league. When I started doing my PhD I had to stop doing professional sport as I didn’t have the time so train at a high level. I’m still dedicated sportsperson but chose engineering as my career. 

Contributing Expert

Biljana Stojkovska
Power Potential Project Lead

Similar reading

National Grid ESO - autumn forest ESO : Our people

A Day in the Life of an EMR Strategy & Policy Manager

How do we manage the capacity market and CfD auctions? Spend a Day in the Life of an EMT Strategy & Policy Manager to find out more.

Read article
National Grid ESO - close up view of woman working from home ESO : Our people

A day in the life of a Performance Review Manager

How do we review and bring to life the actions our control room takes? Spend a Day in the Life of Hannah Kernthaler in our latest profile.

Read article
National Grid ESO - control room ESO : Our people

A Christmas Day in the Life of a National Balancing Engineer

What's it like to work in our national control room on Christmas Day? Find out in our Day in the Life series Christmas Special!

Read article
National Grid ESO
© National Grid 2021

Connect with us

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Youtube
  • Connect with us
    • Media centre
    • Work for us
  • About us
    • Compliance Statements
  • Privacy policy
    • Cookie policy
    • Terms and conditions
    • Security
    • Modern Slavery Statement
© National Grid 2021
Top