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UTILITY WEEK | 16TH - 22ND JUNE 2017 | 3 This week 4 | Seven days 6 | People & Opinion 8 Policy & Regulation 8 | News Gove succeeds Leadsom at Defra 10 | Lobby What the general election result means for utilities 14 | Event preview Utility Week Energy Summit 16 | Market view Utilities are at the forefront of the low-carbon transition 17 | Market view Sector regulators should now be better equipped to mount competition probes 19 Finance & Investment 19 | News Political uncertainty could scare investors 21 | Market view Control costs and processes to get the most out of telecoms 22 Operations & Assets 22 | High viz Southern Water's wastewater treatment works in Woolston 23 | Pipe up Chris Wood, chief executive, Develop Training 24 | Market view Utilities can personalise a commodity offering using data- driven marketing 27 Customers 27 | News Domestic competition is 'dead in the water' 28 | Market view Reconnecting with customers through service levels 30 Community 31 | Disconnector GAS 19 | News Political uncertainty could scare investors 21 | Market view Control costs and processes to get the most out of telecoms WATER 8 | News Gove succeeds Leadsom at Defra 22 | High viz Southern Water's wastewater treatment works in Woolston 27 | News Domestic competition is 'dead in the water' ELECTRICITY 16 | Market view Utilities are at the forefront of the low-carbon transition ENERGY 10 | Lobby What the general election result means for utilities 14 | Event preview Utility Week Energy Summit 17 | Market view Sector regulators should now be better equipped to mount competition probes 23 | Pipe up Chris Wood, chief executive, Develop Training 24 | Market view Utilities can personalise a commodity offering using data-driven marketing CGI: Demand side flexibility in UK utilities http://bit.ly/2qOgC0R GORE: New Arc Rated Foul Weather Protection http://bit.ly/2ot3xrO Knowledge worth Keeping Visit the DownloaDs section of Utility week's website http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/ downloads Scant reason to be cheerful "I got us into this mess, I'll get us out of it." So Theresa May report- edly told Tory MPs in a meeting following her crushingly under- whelming performance in the snap general election. Energy sector leaders may well feel this apology is owed as much to them as to seething Conservative MPs who saw a relatively "strong and stable" parliamentary position disintegrate in a few short weeks. Before the election, experts moaned about a lack of consistency in energy policy. They pointed to sudden shis in ground, such as the withdrawal of Levy Exemption Certificates (LECs) and support for onshore wind, as evidence of knee-jerk decision making. And of course many energy retailers expressed horrified disbelief that the traditionally pro-market Tories would commit to introducing price regulation. But despite these problems, there was also a feeling of hope that a more coherent policy era might be around the corner. The crea- tion of BEIS, although it raised fears about the sidelining of climate change, was generally met with optimism. It heralded joined-up thinking that could place energy at the heart of economic rebalanc- ing. It even began making good on this potential with consultations on industrial strategy and smart, flexible energy systems, which prominently recognised the importance of investment and innova- tion in critical national infrastructure. Now, with a minority government clinging to power, optimism is thin on the ground and uncertainty has reached new proportions. There is no clarity on when, or if, key policy decisions will be made. There is no confidence that our minority government will be able to pass key policy and legislative decisions through the House of Com- mons. There is a grim acknowledgement that another election may be just around the corner and that Labour's strong performance this time round could translate into renationalisation becoming a reality. In the short term, there are some positives to keep in sight. First, Greg Clark has remained at BEIS. The energy secretary, who is widely respected by industry, had been tipped for a promotion to chancellor if May seized a big majority. Second, Nick Timothy, May's top adviser, whose influence underpinned the party's increasingly intransigent line on price caps, has quit. Third, a hard Brexit, with exit from the single energy market and Euratom, is now less likely. For many, these will seem a scant silver lining. But it is there. See Utility Week Lobby, p10, for more election coverage. Jane Gray, Deputy Editor, janegray@fav-house.com Leader Jane Gray