Price-control design is both complex and 'mission-critical'. At stake is how the £billions of funding allowed by the regulator for DNO investment and operations will be shaped for the coming five years and beyond. Rightly, there is a strong focus on cost-efficiency. But concern about past returns shouldn't wholly dictate the future. In getting the ...

​ Change comes fast but utility regulation risks slow motion. Since the RIIO2 process kicked off some two years back, government has legislated for a 2050 net zero green-house gas reduction target – and XR certainly knows how to focus minds. What's more, the wider politics of our utilities continues to pose a major challenge for economic regulation...

The RIIO2 price control process is set to shape customer and consumer service levels and investment plans by the GB energy networks for years to come. Over the past year Sustainability First has taken a strong interest in how Ofgem would frame its approach in the RIIO2 process towards low-carbon facilitation by the energy networks. Not least, an im...

In December of last year, Energy Futures Lab published a briefing paper by Dr Richard Carmichael, Dr Rob Gross and Dr Aidan Knowles, Unlocking the potential of residential electricity consumer engagement with Demand Response . This paper represents an excellent contribution to the debate, assessing the evidence base so far and setting out some futu...

Ofgem's RIIO2 regulatory framework - currently out for consultation - will shape - and endorse many tens of billions of new network investment in the period from 2020–28. At this initial stage in designing the RIIO2 framework, Sustainability First is proposing that serious thought be given by Ofgem, the network companies and others with an interest...