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14 | 16TH - 22ND JUNE 2017 | UTILITY WEEK Policy & Regulation Preview Utility Week Energy Summit 2017 29 June, London Utility Week Energy Summit 2017 Despite political turbulence, networks and generators must continue to work towards long-term decarbonisation goals. This conference aims to help them do just that. T he country needs certainty." That was the weary battle cry from prime min- ister Theresa May as she re-entered Number 10 having seen her aspirations for a landslide majority obliterated. Instead, her slender majority was wiped out, forcing her to form a minority government propped up by Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). At a critical time for policymakers, influ- encers and stakeholders in the UK energy sector, the general election has provided exactly the opposite to what the prime min- ister promised. Uncertainty and volatility abound, which could hardly have been imag- ined a few weeks ago. The environment gives new significance to Utility Week's Energy Summit, which is being held in London on 29 June. The event will gather prominent industry captains to discuss the policy and market challenges faced by energy infrastructure firms and generators in the immediate and medium- term if the UK is to achieve its long-term ambitions for sustainable, cost-effective decarbonisation. Crucial talking points must now include the diminished potential for a "hard" Brexit and the UK's fragile negotiating position, despite the Conservatives' attempt to ballast their authority via a Northern Irish alliance – a partnership which itself might add a new dynamic to energy policy, with Ireland's single energy market and interconnection potentially rising up the agenda. Likewise, the likelihood that a minority government may result in another general election, perpetuating delays to key policy statements including the Clean Growth Plan, the industrial strategy, the smart and flex- ible energy systems consultation, and more, needs to be acknowledged. How can indus- try accommodate such disruption and keep moving forward? The imperative to do so is pressing. The UK's energy transition is at a critical stage, with tipping points anticipated for the development of demand-side flexibility and electric vehicle deployment, and with renew- able output breaking records with increasing frequency. More positively, many industry commen- tators welcomed a Conservative manifesto pledge to conduct a review of the cost of energy in the UK, and despite the turbulence of the election result, energy secretary Greg Clark has already confirmed this will go ahead. The review should bring a welcome hon- esty to the debate about the cost of decarboni- sation and the cost of generating energy in the UK. But it will also bring scrutiny, of network returns as well as their charges and innova- tion funds, which are levied on consumer bills. How should industry prepare for this? The Energy Summit will provide an opportune moment to partake in informed debate on these issues and share insights to help the sector navigate murky waters. Our chair this year is BBC environment analyst Roger Harrabin, who will steer dialogue and debate around: • UK energy policy post- election. • Implications of Brexit. • Delivering a smart, flexible energy system. • Maintaining investor confidence. • The role of innovation in meeting carbon reduction targets. Vincent De Rivaz, chief executive, EDF Energy: focusing on long-term energy vision, De Rivaz will address balancing affordability, decarbonisa- tion and the security of supply. John Morea, chief executive, SGN: addresses how to deliver a smart, flexible and integrated energy system, as well as the challenges ahead for UK energy and climate change policy. Dermot Nolan, chief executive, Ofgem: also looks at tackling the best way forward for long-term energy planning, including the implications of politics and climate change. Basil Scarsella, chief executive, UK Power Networks: considers the future of energy in the UK, address- ing innovation, climate change policy, and investment. Adam Cooper, policy and engage- ment director, National Infra- structure Commission: looks into the energy revolution and future challenges for the industry, bringing electricity, heat and transport into one strategy. Utility Week Energy Summit The 2017 Utility Week Energy Summit is your first opportunity post-election to debate the future of energy policy in the UK. This is the annual meeting place for 100+ policymakers, investors, energy producers, distributors, retailers and wider stakeholders shaping the UK energy landscape. To register to attend, visit: http://events. utilityweek.co.uk/summit/ OTHER SPEAKERS "