CONTENT PROGRAMME 2025 - CP, NV

With the biggest spend in any AMP and a drive to protect the environment, water companies need to transform traditional ways of working. Water companies can no longer design to the lowest cost and must prioritising whole life cost, carbon and the environment. The water sector is entering a new era of operating and the industry has an opportunity to transform its public image and change its culture. This session will reveal the forward-looking approaches from the water sector to gain public acceptability, educate and share responsibility of the water network and maximise investment through transforming culture and leveraging new skills and technologies.

Demystifying how to bridge the looming skills gap in the utilities industry, securing the new skill sets needed to deliver sustainable water infrastructure and the net zero transition. Join this session to explore how to get the most from your workforce; improve morale; and make the utilities sector an attractive industry for leading talent.

As participation in energy flexibility markets increases, automating response signals and removing barriers to consumers is critical to scaling up energy flexibility. Join this session to unearth how to best use data, manage assets and enable consumer participation in flex markets.

As the demand side response market develops, removing barriers for industrial and commercial users of energy to participate in multiple balancing markets is critical to maximising energy flexibility available. Join this session to learn how I&C consumers are engaging in energy flexibility and how interoperability between markets is enabling participation.  

Exploring the partnerships and technologies working together to unearth efficiencies in planning and delivering local clean energy systems. Join this session to learn from regional case studies and the policy enabling regional decarbonisation.    

Revealing how the UK’s three TOs are joining forces to drive unlock efficiencies through the full supply chain that benefit all stakeholders in the designing, planning and building major transmission infrastructure. Join this session to gain insight into the milestones already reached in evolving existing ways of working to establish a more standardised approach across the construction and operation of transmission infrastructure and how this will attract and retain the needed talent to meet 2030 goals. 

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Delving into how utilities can maximise and mine data to accelerate the decision making process and drive productivity. Join this session to discover how to improve information management, embrace generative AI and drive efficiency in decision making.

Exploring strategies for efficiently and effectively rolling out low carbon heat while winning over customers. Join this session to gain insight into key issues impacting low carbon heat, including a community approach to decarbonising heat and the roll out of new solutions. 

Harnessing AI and digital solutions to revolutionise the way gas, water and power service their customers. Join this session to discover new technology that improves customer service and experience for a diverse range of customers, while maximising operational efficiencies.

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While scaling up energy flexibility it is essential to bring all customers on the journey and ensure vulnerable customers benefit from energy flexibility savings. Join this session to gain insight into the latest updates, best practice and lessons learnt from domestic flexibility and protecting vulnerable customers.

Taking a deep dive into the projects embracing NbS and SuDS to minimise pollution, manage water holistically and improve social value. Discover how to overcome regulatory challenges; design, build and maintain NbS; and shift from grey civil engineering options to blue/ green infrastructure which puts nature at the heart of projects

Exploring the digital tools utilities and their supply chain can embrace to better design and optioneer projects. Join this session to understand how to drive efficiency and productivity through your infrastructure design, build and maintenance projects. Explore how to bridge the skills gap and accelerate delivery at scale.

DNOs need to lead the change and evolve their operations to enable flexible energy. As they shift to the DSO model, networks must adopt smart and digital tools to drive efficiency, accuracy and maximise the potential of smart energy networks. In this session, discover how smart networks, digital tools and innovations are supporting the roll out and scaling of energy flexibility.

This session will explore how utilities are increasing customer trust to encourage the uptake of low carbon technology and drive the net zero agenda. Join us to understand how you can help the able-to-pay market take the next steps and ensure no one is left behind in the transition. 

Creating a clean power system by 2030 and hitting net zero by 2050 requires transformation in policy, investment and regulation. The energy industry needs to be reimagined. Hear from a group of industry leaders lobbying for change and pushing government to deliver certainty and a strategy which best serves customers, the environment and UK economy. 

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Showcasing innovative uses of AI and technology to drive automation across networks and increase visibility of assets. Learn how you can embrace digital tools and AI to improve asset efficiency, increase information gathering and make informed decisions at speed.

As public demand for resilient, sustainable infrastructure grows, utilities must take a nature first approach when designing, building and maintaining assets. This session explores how putting nature, carbon reduction, and biodiversity at the forefront of operations can create lasting benefits for both ecosystems and communities.  

The Utility Week Flex Awards are back for 2025 and will celebrate innovators dedicated to advancing energy flexibility! 
 
The Awards will recognise and reward the people and projects building the emerging energy flexibility market. They will recognise pilot projects and trials, celebrate flexibility pioneers and unearth the companies and individuals who are driving flex markets and end user engagement. 

Find out more: https://www.flexawards.co.uk/  
Register free to attend the presentation: https://bit.ly/awards-presentation-free-ticket  

Chair introduction
James Wallin, Utility week

Panel

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Highlighting digital solutions to help utilities sweat their existing assets at a time of unprecedented delivery and asset management requirements. Learn how to improve efficiency on your existing network to minimise cost to customers.

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Delving into the tools available to better operate in the field and manage the workforce and supply chain partners more efficiently. Discover how to communicate and improve H&S and support customer facing field operatives through embracing digital tools. In this session, uncover the latest approaches and innovations enhancing efficiency, safety and sustainability.

As the utilities industry undergoes a profound transformation to enable a cleaner, more sustainable power system, placing customers at the centre of this transition is no longer just a priority—it's essential for long-term success. Gas, water, and electricity providers must navigate complex challenges while addressing rising public expectations for transparency, affordability, and reliability. This panel will discuss:  

• How can customer centric leadership build trust and ensure a just transition for all? 
• What is being done to keep customers at the heart of innovation? 
• How can the industry improve effective customer experience, efficiency and loyalty?   
• What needs to be done to improve utilities’ reputation? 

As he marks one year on from taking the helm at Ovo Energy, David Buttress reflects on his previous experience of setting up food delivery giant Just Eat and how this relates to the challenges of energy retail. Discussion points: How companies can better use technology to get to know their customers The role of suppliers in engaging the public on net zero and the need for them to speak with one voice How we can ensure a just transition for all

Sharing best practice in customer communication around outages and pipe bursts. Gain practical insights to minimise customer dissatisfaction when responding to unforeseen disruption and planned asset management.

Are utilities doing enough for customers? With public perception of utilities at an all-time low and a clear need for consumers to change the way they interact with energy and adopt low carbon technology, the industry must do more. Putting customers at the heart of the UK’s energy transition is essential to developing a decarbonised energy system that operates for the customer in an affordable way.  

With Labour’s commitment to delivering a clean power system by 2030 driving the integration of renewable sources and need for energy security, the UK's energy landscape is undergoing rapid transformation. Energy networks need a clear strategy and certainty to make investment decisions and maintain a resilient energy system. This panel unites policymakers those delivering the Clean Power 2030 mission to discuss strategies for navigating these challenges and ensuring a stable, sustainable energy future for all, asking:  

• How will different bodies work together to streamline, accelerate and improve efficiency in delivering a clean power system? 
• How will planning, regulation and investment adapt? 
• What steps are being taken to ensure a smooth transition to net zero while maintaining grid stability during periods of high demand? 
• With the rise of decentralised energy systems, how can the UK ensure effective coordination across various energy stakeholders? 
• How do keep the customer at the centre of this transformation 

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Delving into the benefits of digital twins and BIM for UK utilities to drive asset management decisions and productivity throughout projects. Join this session to discover novel approaches to maximise your use of digital twins and BIM.

Providing domestic and commercial users with tangible benefits to engaging in DSR and flexibility markets is critical to scaling energy flexibility. This session will unearth novel tariff innovations which are enabling energy flexibility markets and encouraging participation.

As the energy flexibility market becomes more established, how will the market facilitator operate alongside other planning and governing bodies? Join this session for an update from the market facilitator and insight into how regulators, industry and supply chain will come together to accelerate energy flexibility.

Storage plays a crucial role in enhancing energy flexibility and creating a clean energy system. Maximising grid scale and domestic storage is essential to facilitating the integration of renewable energy and enhancing grid stability. Join this session to discover how the industry is embracing domestic and long duration storage and partnering with battery owners and operators to respond to grid needs.  

As the UK water sector embarks on its largest-ever capital investment program in AMP8 and the power transmission network undergoes significant upgrades, the pressure is on for utilities to deliver major infrastructure with greater efficiency and collaboration across their supply chains. Discover key lessons from the landmark project HS2 to enhance productivity, optimise resource management, and maximise social value in an era of constrained resources. Join us to discover strategies for delivering transformative infrastructure projects on time, on budget, and with lasting impact. Join this session to hear the responding panel outline the challenges and opportunities facing water, power and gas when delivering large-scale infrastructure projects

• How can we improve supply chain collaboration to drive partnerships and streamline project delivery?
• How to overcome resource constraints to minimise delays in projects.
• What support is needed from regulators and policy makers?

Explaining the important actions happening nationally and across the sector to remove the barriers to realising maximum value while minimising risk from opening and sharing data.  

In the ever-changing world of utilities, diversity of thought and experience is key to progress and resilience. Join the Womens Utilities Network (WUN) to for an engaging and interactive keynote session, where industry colleagues will share real-life stories from their careers. This session invites you to step into their shoes and explore “what would you do next?”, encouraging participants to discuss, problem-solve, and share personal insights on navigating a range of professional challenges. Come ready to connect, collaborate, and leave inspired! 

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Outlining the value in intervening and upgrading assets before failure to minimise disruption to customers. Discover the steps you need to take to monitor your network, collect data and make accurate predictions and informed asset management decisions.  

Providing insight into the planning and projects dedicated to improving water resources and ensuring sufficient supply for both domestic use and water’s anticipated role in green energy generation. Join this session to hear how the water sector is planning to meet demand.  

While scaling up energy flexibility it is essential to bring all customers on the journey and ensure vulnerable customers benefit from energy flexibility savings. Join this session to gain insight into the latest updates, best practice and lessons learnt from domestic flexibility and protecting vulnerable customers.

Providing insight into the latest developments in robotics and automation to improve your asset management operations. Learn how to maximise these tools to improve the safety of your workforce and increase efficiency in maintenance.

Discussing how to gain customers’ trust to scale the roll out of smart meters at pace and unlock network efficiencies from the data. Join this session to understand how to maximise smart meter data to better inform asset management strategies, solve problems and accelerate consumer behaviour change.

As the UK decarbonises it energy generation, what is the role of gas networks in a 2050 net zero world? Gas networks provide an opportunity for carbon capture and underground storage, decarbonising industry and power, and creating a circular economy through biomethane injection. This session will explore how the gas grid will decarbonise, provide energy security and operate in 2050.

Unearthing the low carbon solutions being adopted by utilities and their partners to monitor and reduce carbon and enable the delivery of net zero infrastructure. Join this session to understand the latest innovations and approaches transforming the traditional way of building and maintaining critical national infrastructure while also delivering social and environmental value.    

Exploring how utilities can support vulnerable customers to prevent debt, improve customer retention and reputation and fulfil their social and regulatory responsibilities. Taking a proactive approach to communicating reasons behind bill increases and supporting customers to win public trust. 

Exploring innovative approaches to reduce process emissions, minimise the water sector’s carbon footprint and strive for net zero. Join this session to discover the projects optimising processes, trialling carbon reduction innovations and implementing better monitoring to drive down the release of harmful greenhouse gases. 

Uncovering new approaches to charging and billing customers to encourage behaviour change. Trialling and embracing tariff innovations to best support customers, improve affordability and offer consumers more choice.

Members of Utility Week’s Future Leaders Club share their vision for the industry’s future. In this session, they’ll reflect on the current challenges, explore innovative ways to attract the next generation of talent, and explain why they believe working in utilities is more important than ever. Join us for bold, forward-thinking ideas and blue-sky visions for shaping the direction of the utility sector. 

Delving into the challenges around leakage and outlining how to minimise risk and disruption to customers. Join this session to gain insight into innovations and best practice in detecting and fixing leaks across networks, and understand the investment required - whilst managing national requirements.

Outlining the importance of the gas grid to delivering energy security and resilience in a net zero world. Learn how gas networks and electricity generators are working innovatively to play their part in the clean power mission with hydrogen, hydrogen blending, biomethane, CCUS to play a critical role in a clean energy system.

Energy retailers are in the process of transforming from traditional suppliers to dynamic service providers, driven by green energy, decentralised generation, and smart technology. As the UK deploys its net zero plan, have we sufficiently considered the role of energy retailers and how their operations will change? Join this session to answer:  

• How have operations changed and what forecasted change are expected?  
• What low carbon and smart technologies are radicalising the retailer market?   
• How can the energy sector ensure customers stay at the heart of evolving business operations? 

Encouraging domestic and commercial customers to be mindful of their water and energy consumption and actively engage to accelerate net zero. Putting consumers at the heart of the energy transition and water resource resilience planning to better prioritise their needs and tailor communication.

With the UK set to decarbonise heating, unlocking potential flexibility and minimising disruption to the grid is essential. Join this session to discover best practice in the rollout and adoption of low carbon heat.

As the UK sharpens its focus on delivering net zero while meeting rising consumer expectations, the relationship between utility networks and regulators comes under scrutiny. To drive the energy transition and enable water network to address issues in a low carbon way, regulators must evolve their frameworks to align incentives, unlock critical investments, and ensure long-term service resilience, all while safeguarding consumer affordability and reliability. This session invites key regulators to discuss pressing questions, including:

• How are regulatory approaches evolving to secure necessary investment levels and foster confidence among private investors?
• What strategies are in place to address the increasing pressures of long-term planning, policy coherence, and generational infrastructure investment?
• How can planning and permitting be more efficient while still protecting nature and ecology?
• How are you empowering the industry to lead on innovation, digitalisation, and decarbonisation while offering long-term regulatory certainty?
• What role do regulators play in addressing the industry's public perception challenges and enhancing public trust in utility services?

Providing insight into the planning and projects dedicated to improving water resources and ensuring sufficient supply for both domestic use and water’s anticipated role in green energy generation. Join this session to hear from transfer and storage schemes improving climate resilience and managing demand.

Delving into the projects putting the environment, nature and biodiversity at the heart of decision-making. Exploring the policy decisions required to make wetlands a clear choice and hearing from peers who have successfully delivered wetlands.