Posts Tagged ‘gas distribution’
Utility Regulation 2011 – Delivering Investment and Customer Value
Huge investment in network infrastructure is needed to ensure that energy and water supplies continue to be available to meet demand. At the same time Government wants the UK to transition to a low carbon economy whist also keeping prices to consumers at levels which are acceptable. Is it possible to incentivise investment in infrastructure for the renewable future without over-burdening consumers? Have Regulators been influencing policy too much with their many and varied incentive mechanisms? Will the reviews of the role of Ofgem and Ofwat lead to changes in the Regulator’s role with policy functions taken back into Government? Should Ofgem and Ofwat be focussed purely on economic regulation and, if so, what will such a change mean in reality? These are the exciting and challenging questions being addressed by Government, regulators and the regulated.
The Utility Regulation conference will also take a look at how RIIO is shaping up – will it deliver the levels of investment and innovation needed in the energy transmission and gas distribution sectors? Meanwhile in the water sector, the conference will take a look at how the Gray Review of Ofwat might lead to major changes in regulation, competition and mergers. The conference will address what these developments will mean for the shareholders / owners of the utilities and their ability to deliver the returns and investment necessary to deliver our future utility networks.
Join us for this seventh annual seminar in the series where these issues will be addressed, and other approaches and ideas introduced .
See programme below or book your place now
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All member groups were invited to attend the National Grid Supplier Liaison Meeting in April. Distribution & Transmission Equipment Group Chairman, Richard Stone, welcomed around 30 members to the meeting which took place at SBGI’s offices.
Tracey Hine, Account Manager, gave members a useful organisational update, running through the senior leadership team and the set up of gas distribution within National Grid. Tracy
then reviewed performance discussing their Safety programme and efforts to improve customer satisfaction, in particular customer initiatives to drive improvements in service and satisfaction. She detailed some of the particular challenges from winter 09/10 – the coldest in 30 years with 4 gas balancing alerts and 3 out of the 4 highest demand days ever.
She talked about their innovation programme and the 55 projects now live and covered National Grid’s social agenda and the launch of Affordable Warmth Solutions, their scheme to help tackle fuel poverty. The next price control, due to commence in April 2013, is high on National Grid’s agenda and policy discussions will begin with Ofgem this summer, Tracy advised, with a scoping document to be produced in the autumn. Finally, Tracy informed members of some of the future challenges National Grid are working on including the future role of gas in networks, smart energy grids and regulatory changes in light of the RPI-X@20 project.
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