Utility Week

6 | 22ND - 28TH NOVEMBER 2019 | UTILITY WEEK Election 2019 Campaign W ith three weeks to go until an election that could have major rami cations for the industry, Utility Week is sending a message to who- ever forms the next government. Overleaf we present a series of pledges and policy areas which we will lobby the next govern- ment to implement. While green issues have been a high-pro le battleground in the rst weeks of the election, it is frustrating that mention of utilities has largely featured elsewhere. As Utility Week goes to press, Labour is poised to reveal its manifesto, which is expected to clarify the party's very sketchy plans for nationalising parts of the sector. This is an unwelcome and unnecessary distraction at a time when anyone serious about reaching net zero should be looking to the huge strides towards that goal already made by utilities. Labour seems unwilling to look beyond its distrust of private enterprise but the other political parties apparently have little to say on fundamental challenges, such as the decarbonisation of heat, where utilities can play a de ning role. The industry can be a part of the solution, if politicians can stop painting it as part of the problem. This is why we have launched our mani- festo – grouped together around the four pil- lars set out on the facing page. Among our speci c pledges are for the next that the government to commit to pub- lishing an energy white paper within six months, as well as setting out a clear path- way for energy and water e ciency. We are calling for a national conversation on the costs of reaching net zero and how much of this burden utility bills will be expected to carry, as well as revisiting the balance of responsibility on utilities for caring for the most vulnerable in society. We believe smart meters should be mandatory in energy retail, regulators should be supported to act for the long term rather than pursuing populist measures and that provisions for open data must be made. These topics, and those discussed over- leaf, will inform Utility Week's coverage not just during the election but into 2020 and beyond. We will be highlighting the issues, urging progress and re‚ ecting key industry thinking – such as the views of the direc- tor of National Grid System Operator, Fintan Slye, p9. Political and economic uncertainty has for too long cast a pall over utilities and above all our message to the next govern- ment is that this must end on 12 December. The sector's voice must be heard above the chaos plans for nationalising parts of the sector. This is an unwelcome and unnecessary distraction at a time when anyone serious about reaching net zero should be looking months, as well as setting out a clear path- way for energy and water e ciency. We are calling for a national conversation on the costs of reaching net zero and how much

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