Utility Week

18 | 19TH - 25TH OCTOBER 2018 | UTILITY WEEK Operations & Assets Event View from the chair T he winds of change are blowing through an increasingly unpredictable utilities landscape, this year's Utility Week Congress agreed. However, the takeaway message from the two-day conference, held in Birmingham on 9 and 10 October, was that those within industry most keenly meeting the decarboni- sation, digitalisation and decentralisation challenges were those taking on board the views of their critics, and changing business practices in response – be it through braver and bigger thinking, becoming more relevant to their communities, transforming business culture via latest technologies, or embracing the advantages of collaboration. Top industry players and thought lead- ers from companies and stakeholders across utilities revealed that utilities are thinking more dynamically and ambitiously than ever before in the face of an uncertain political and regulatory backdrop and changing con- sumer demand, coupled with the ongoing needs of building more resilience, encourag- ing investment and creating innovation. Day one of the Congress focused on three big issues exercising utilities today across the piece, one of which was the prospect of renationalisation. Although something widely viewed by conference as a highly retrograde step, it did raise the question of how the public debate had come to get here, and how utilities could work to change the national dialogue around PR issues such as leakage and executive pay. This fitted well with another key theme about the increasing importance of legitimacy and trust for utili- ties. It focused on how localism and raising customer awareness about the vast work being done by utility companies is vital, as is sharing more about the role consumers can play in valuing water and energy and reducing consumption. The fast-developing narrative around regulation was picked up enthusiastically by delegates, with one big six supplier firing a polite warning shot about the unpopular price cap mechanism. He warned that the full impact of the cap on the market and con- sumers has yet to be revealed. Conference also seized the chance to Moving with the times Everyone faces challenges, but some companies also see opportunities. That was the headline message from Utility Week's 2018 Congress in Birmingham. Fletcher, Nolan, Pyper and Waddams discuss regulation at the Congress "A few years ago we would have said we were a utility – I think we aren't any more." Wilfrid Petrie, chief executive, Engie UK "I strongly believe that we as an industry do have a responsibility to promote the importance of water efficiency at every possible opportunity." Johanna Dow, chief executive, Business Stream "We work with businesses across the UK and around the world in every industry sector of our economy, both large and small. We really see the next wave of digital transformation being powered by AI." Cindy Rose, chief executive, Microso UK

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