The digitalisation of Distribution System Operators (DSOs) is now a structural necessity. As electricity networks evolve to support renewables, decentralised energy production and microgrids, DSOs are managing infrastructures that are more distributed, interconnected and operationally complex than ever before. Scaling these networks efficiently – often across thousands of remote or shared sites – must go hand in hand with higher safety standards, regulatory compliance such as NIS2, and sustained operational efficiency.

At the centre of this transformation is a capability that goes far beyond physical security: digital access management and access governance.

Managing access in a decentralised and shared asset landscape

Electricity distribution is rapidly shifting from a centralised model to a decentralised and hybrid one, driven by renewables, microgrids, prosumers and grid edge assets. As a result, DSOs must manage an increasing number of remote and unmanned sites, which are often shared with telecom infrastructure such as greenfield towers supporting connectivity and smart grid services. These mixed use environments multiply stakeholders, access profiles and operational constraints, making manual or unmanaged access processes a growing source of inefficiency, safety risk and regulatory exposure.

Strengthened requirements such as NIS2 further underline the need for controlled, traceable and role based access to critical infrastructure. To scale efficiently across decentralised and shared assets, DSOs are therefore adopting digital, maintenance free access solutions combined with centralised platforms, replacing physical keys with digital rights and mobile tools that enable safer, faster and more coordinated field operations across thousands of sites.

From access control to access governance

Digitalisation is pushing DSOs beyond basic access control towards full access governance. This means managing access as a structured, data-driven process aligned with operational workflows, safety requirements and regulatory obligations.

Modern digital access governance enables DSOs to:

• Manage access rights remotely, centrally and in real time
• Support multi-tenant and third-party access, typical of shared electricity–telecom sites
• Enforce role-based and time-bound permissions, aligned with work orders and certifications
• Maintain full audit trails, supporting accountability and NIS2 compliance
• Integrate physical access with CMMS, workforce management, asset management and safety systems
• Receive safety notifications and site-specific warnings

In decentralised grid architectures and microgrid environments, where access points multiply, governance is essential to avoid delays, reduce errors and maintain service continuity, while ensuring people are authorised, trained and protected.

NIS2 and the need for cyber-physical coherence

While NIS2 is often associated with cybersecurity, its principles clearly extend to the physical dimension of access to critical infrastructure. In decentralised and shared environments – where electricity and telecom assets coexist – the physical attack surface increases, and so does the impact of poorly managed access.

Embedding digital access governance into IT and OT ecosystems allows DSOs to:

• Reduce unmanaged or anonymous access to critical sites
• Link physical access events to digital identities
• Strengthen incident response and reporting capabilities
• Demonstrate compliance without slowing down field operations

Rather than adding complexity, digital access governance helps DSOs reconcile regulatory demands with operational reality.

Digital access governance has become a core enabler of DSO transformation, linking security, operations, safety and compliance within increasingly decentralised and shared infrastructures.

By ensuring controlled, traceable and efficient site access, it supports the energy transition and equips DSOs to operate resilient, flexible networks, ready for microgrids, hybrid energy telecom sites and evolving regulatory frameworks.