Strategy, policy & regulation

PR24: Portsmouth aims to be first ‘fully smart’ company

PR24: CCW calls for bigger water efficiency fund

Ovo completes SSE migration four years after takeover

Ex-Tory MP: ‘Might as well nationalise energy suppliers’

A lack of differentiation between energy suppliers means that the sector may as well be nationalised, a former Conservative MP and former government energy adviser has said. Laura Sandys told a fringe event at the Labour Party Conference that the introduction of the price cap had eliminated competition in the sector. She was speaking after Labour members voted to back the nationalisation of network companies.  

Dogger Bank produces power for first time

Ofgem releases £16m for network-led projects

Ofgem has awarded 36 network-led projects a combined £16 million through its Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF). The projects are broadly split into four categories: supporting a just energy transition, preparing for a net zero power system, improving energy system resilience and robustness and accelerating decarbonisation of major energy demands.

South Staffs targets ‘long-term challenges’ in PR24 plan

What is the potential for nuclear-enabled hydrogen?

PR24: Welsh Water customers support bills hike

Welsh Water has strong customer support for its ambitious business plan, despite almost half of customers admitting the proposed bills will be difficult to pay. The company has set out plans to improve services and performance for the years to 2030 and will ask customers to pay an extra 26%.

Labour plans grid supply chain ‘super-tender’

PR24: United Utilities pledges third of total CSO spend

Government urged to rule out hydrogen heating in rural areas

The new trilemma posed by PR24

National Gas set for cash injection to slash methane emissions

National Gas Transmission (NGT) is set to receive an additional £17.35 million to help manage and reduce methane emissions from the National Transmission System (NTS). The additional funding will support projects designed to capture methane emissions arising from pipeline inspection works and compressor station depressurisations as well as reduce methane emissions from compressor venting. NGT had requested an additional £29.91 million to fund several small net zero related projects under the RIIO-2 Net Zero Pre-Construction and Small Projects re-opener mechanism. However, in its minded-to position Ofgem has ruled that the amount of funding that will be made available will be some £12.56 million less than NGT had asked for.

Code of conduct to keep flexibility providers in check

Weekend press: Water bosses could be stripped of bonuses under Labour plans

In the weekend papers, Labour previews its pitch to voters on energy and water at its annual party conference in Liverpool this week, including plans to strip bonuses from the boss of water companies polluting Britain’s waterways and offer lower bills to people willing to host infrastructure in their area. Meanwhile, prime minister Rishi Sunak faces criticism over proposals to restrict the installation of solar panels on farmland.

‘Don’t blame the cap for a lack of competition … it’s because nobody is innovating’

The co-chief executive of Utility Warehouse, Stuart Burnett, talks to Adam John about the need to move away from a “destructive” model of price-based competition to a market where innovation is allowed to drive progress. He also explains why 60,000 “partners” are at the heart of the company’s plans for growth.

‘Watershed moment’ as aggregators granted access to wholesale market

Tory manifesto author urges ambitious renewables pledge

Lack of choice fuelled backlash to Cadent’s hydrogen village