UK energy operator sticks with Palantir in £21M direct award

PUBLIC SECTOR

Proprietary platform keeps incumbent in place while NESO prepares a future competition

Britain's publicly owned energy system operator has awarded Palantir a £21.2 million contract without competition, extending a relationship that began under private ownership three years earlier.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) handed the US spy-tech firm the £17.7 million contract – £21.2 million including VAT – to continue licensing and supporting two "critical business processes," Connections and Skip Rates, running on its Foundry platform.

NESO said it was preparing a competitive procurement for a replacement platform but needed to continue working with Palantir in the meantime to avoid disruption to customer-facing services and regulatory obligations.

"A contract will be put in place to enable continuity of the existing critical platform services whilst a competitive procurement is undertaken," a tender notice said.

The organization has already begun sounding out potential suppliers.

"Palantir possesses the specialist knowledge,...

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