Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government
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14 | 15TH - 21ST SEPTEMBER 2017 | UTILITY WEEK Policy & Regulation Event Utility Week Congress 2017 11 & 12 October, Hilton Birmingham Metropole Congress crucible When senior executives meet over two days in October for the Utility Week Congress, they will have much to discuss as the industry strives to deliver against a charged political background. T hese are tense times for UK utilities, and their regulators. Interventionist politics is on the rise, making progress with "principles-based" regulation tricky and putting strain on company strategies to engage customers. Then, too, the challenge of technological change means utilities are running to catch up with service and product innovations in parallel or converging sectors, and Ofwat and Ofgem are trying to figure out what new responsibilities and securities they should be squaring up to in a world where consumer interests are intertwined with the resilience of digital systems and data management. Meanwhile, the small matter of price reviews for the regulated monopolies looms large. In this context, a host of the UK utility sector's most prominent leaders will gather at Utility Week Congress 2017. Their presen- tations will tackle head-on some of the most controversial and exciting questions fac- ing the industry, from the prospect of new government intervention in the market and downward pressure on company returns, to decentralised energy, and the opportu- nities attached to business models which can exploit smart, digital technologies for enhanced efficiency, sustainability and com- mercial gain. The two-day agenda latches on to the dominant themes occupying the minds of senior policymakers, regulators and industry executives. First up will be the future of utili- ties' relationships with customers, followed by a day dedicated to the complex challenge of innovation and resilience. These themes are core to current public debate around the need for consumer protec- tion and the cost of utilities infrastructure as we seek decarbonise our society and respond to the threat of climate change. But they are also themes that encapsulate the main areas of opportunity for utilities and their inves- tors. They dominate the dra frameworks for the next water and energy network price controls and they sit in the centre of the com- petitive field for connected home and flexible energy services. Presentations will shine a light on the way chief executives and decision-makers perceive this dichotomy of challenge and opportunity and will include insights from organisations touted to be top performers in the upcoming price reviews – note Sev- ern Trent and South West Water – as well as those who are making strides to reinvent retail operations. At different ends of the energy retail spec- trum, both Eon and council-owned Bristol Energy will reveal approaches to community- centred energy services and the creation of real choice in the way consumers interact with a traditionally homogenous commod- ity. Meanwhile, visions for local system operation at distribution level will rise to the surface in sessions that explore emerging opportunities for distributed balancing ser- vices and priorities for networks innovation. View the full agenda at events.utility- week.co.uk/congress and join us for two days of lively debate and learning which could help you and your business thrive in a time of disruption.