Some of the women engineers who broke down barriers and changed the course of history
Jun 23, 2023
Committed
The state of alarm that Spain has been facing for weeks is underlining, more than ever, how important it is to have a guaranteed energy supply at all times. As Technical Manager of the System, Enagás is the company in charge of operating the infrastructure network that allows gas to reach every corner of the country, whatever the situation.
Behind this great responsibility there is a team of more than fifty professionals who ensure the security of the gas supply. Leading them is Susana de Pablo, Enagás’ Dispatching Director. A mathematician with a technical career spanning twenty years, she has been in charge of the “heart” of the Spanish Gas System in Spain since 2016; the area that supervises the proper functioning of the Gas System in real time, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Today we have her testimony, which is part of a series of interviews that began on the occasion of ‘International Women’s Day’.
The main function of the Dispatching area is the operation of the Gas System. From our department we monitor the gas transmission infrastructures and each operation that is carried out in real time. The flow of natural gas from the trunk network to the secondary networks is also monitored. All this aims to ensure that the gas supply reaches homes, services and industries when they need it.
Every day we maintain a permanent communication with all transmission centres, regasification plants and different companies of the sector, both domestic and international. In addition, we manage all incidents and emergencies in the Spanish Gas System and in the gas transmission facilities of Enagás. We operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
![sistema gasista en España](https://goodnewenergy.enagas.es/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/foto-1-SdP-3-e1586875518811.jpg")
In addition to good planning, I believe that flexibility and knowing how to respond swiftly to situations of all kinds is the most important thing, since the work carried out in the Dispatching area is very dynamic.
You can have perfect planning and, unexpectedly, an unpredictable event may arise, such as the one we are currently experiencing with COVID-19. From our area it is essential to analyse the situation quickly, and make decisions in an effective and prudent way. To do this, it is essential to have a team of professionals who are strongly committed and prepared for this type of situations. A team of more than fifty people who ensure the security of the gas supply in Spain.
We continue to work with the same purpose, to guarantee the supply of natural gas throughout the country. At Enagás we are totally committed to ensuring that, in these exceptional circumstances, the operation of the Gas System is no different to the rest of the year.
At Enagás we are totally committed to ensuring that, in these exceptional circumstances, the operation of the Gas System is no different to the rest of the year.
All this is possible thanks to the special effort currently made by all the professionals in the control centre and critical infrastructures of the Gas System in Spain. They are the ones who are monitoring that everything works on a day-to-day basis so that homes, hospitals, industries and services that provide essential services have gas.
In my opinion, a leadership model based on anticipation makes a lot of sense in times like this. Changes occur at such a speed that it is essential to be prepared to provide the best solutions in each situation.
I believe that we are facing a change of model in many aspects of society and the economy. The transition to a decarbonised economy is one of the clearest examples. There are many challenges and targets and I am convinced, as my colleague Rosa pointed out in the previous interview, that the female perspective is going to be key to achieving a more sustainable future.