Future thinking on utility regulation

Future thinking on utility regulation

Frontier Economics and Sustainability First jointly hosted an event, on 7 March, on fairness in a disrupted world and how this will affect future thinking on utility regulation. 

Sustainability First has published a Discussion Paper, 'Circling the square: Rethinking utilities regulation for a disrupted world’, which has contributed to the National Infrastructure Commission’s recently announced review of utilities regulation.

Utilities services, which are essential to our environmental, social and economic well-being, have a far reaching impact on the economy, networks and the shape of our environment. These sectors are going through a significant period of environmental, climate, technological and societal change. With the current regulatory model being established over 30 years ago, a review of it is timely. 

During the event our panel of speakers: Alistair Phillips-Davies, CEO, SSE; Adam Scorer, CEO, National Energy Action; Cathryn Ross, Director of Regulatory Affairs, BT Group; and Sharon Darcy, Director, Sustainability First, explored how best to take account of both social/fairness and environmental drivers in the design of future utility regulation. The event concluded with reflections from James Richardson, Chief Economist at the National Infrastructure Commission. 

Frontier Economics regularly advises public and private sector clients and regulators in the Utilities sector applying a wide range of quantitative and qualitative techniques.