Agenda

9:25 AM

Keynote: Enabling a deliverable, investable network

How is Ofgem working with government to enact its growth duty, and where will networks benefit from this?
Will emphasis shift in flex and build strategies to address affordability concerns in RIIO-3?
What role can gas play in stabilising energy costs amidst increased network investment?

Georgina Mills, Director for Network Price Controls , Ofgem

9:45 AM

Fireside chat: Driving operational change through strategic planning

How is NESO evolving its plans and capabilities to support the delivery of a reliable, clean and affordable energy system?
What opportunities and challenges might the emerging RESP process create for regional investment and infrastructure planning?
How can different parts of the energy system work together to support resilience?

Julian Leslie, Strategic Energy Planning Director and Chief Engineer , NESO

10:05 AM

Bankrolling the build-out: Winning the UK’s race for network investment

Is the UK currently financeable enough to attract the investment needed for RIIO-3?
What is needed from Ofgem’s ED3 determinations to give investors the confidence to commit the levels of capital required?
What can networks do to give manufacturers the confidence to build UK capacity rather than serve other markets first?
How do we build out our domestic supply chain and boost UK energy security?

Phil Jones, Chief Executive , Northern Powergrid
Julia Prescot CBE, co-founder of Meridiam and Chair of Neuconnect , Chair of NISTA Expert Advisory Council
Mike Wilks, Partner – Energy Networks , Baringa

10:45 AM

Refreshments, exhibition & networking

11:15 AM

Regional planning, national coordination: Moving away from a one size fits all energy system

How can networks and local authorities coordinate regional energy planning without compromising affordability?
How do we avoid a London-centric approach that overlooks rural and regional priorities?
Should local planning assume gas has the same size role to play everywhere?
Can truly regional plans coexist with the national coordination networks still need?

Bridget Hartley, Head of Regional Energy Strategic Planning , NESO
Christian Kaufmann, Lead Energy Insights Manager , SSEN Transmission
Sarah Kerr, Energy Systems Lead , Oxfordshire County Council
Charles McAllister, Director , Green Gas Taskforce

11:50 AM

Plug and play solar: Handing the keys to consumers?

What DESNZ learned from international markets, including Germany, when developing a UK approach to plug-in solar
The role of product standards – balancing consumer access, safety and network considerations
The role of registration and industry collaboration in enabling deployment and network visibility
Lessons for the wider rollout of consumer energy technologies

Noramalina Mansor, Senior Energy Engineer , DESNZ

12:10 PM

Unlocking flexibility for communities and local authorities

How are networks working with local authorities to identify overlooked flexibility assets?
Where are the financial benefits of flex to local authorities, and how can DSOs help unlock them?
How can local authorities use flexibility to bring together communities and offer greater protection to vulnerable citizens?

Nia Lowe, Head of DSO , SP Energy Networks

12:30 PM

Questions and answers

11:15 AM

Using cross-sector modelling to strengthen the climate resilience of assets

How is UKPN’s Climate Resilience Decision Optimiser being used to map the interdependencies between electricity, gas, water and telecoms assets?
What does this mean for asset and operations teams building the business case for climate-resilient investment?

Luca Grella, Head of Innovation , UK Power Networks

11:30 AM

From predicting disruption to adapting in real time: Building a grid that can respond

Defining resilience, and what needs to be done to be more resilient
How can digital intelligence turn visibility into operational resilience?
How can the grid better adapt to volatile predictions, and prevent disruption?

David Pownall, VP Power Systems , Schneider Electric

11:45 AM

Combatting the increasing risk of wildfires in a changing climate

What to do to keep the power on while wildfires threaten assets
How can effective emergency services coordination minimise the impact on networks?
Using vegetation management and real-time network reconfiguration as the front line of defence

12:00 PM

Questions and answers

12:10 PM

Keeping the lights on when civil infrastructure fails: A DNO success story

What happened when a major cable bridge was washed away by floods, and how was power kept on?
What has this exposed about the resilience of civil assets that sit outside traditional plant investment?
Do networks need greater visibility of civil infrastructure stress-testing?

Dan Wilson, Data and Analytics Manager , SP Electricity North West

12:25 PM

Managing the complexity of rerouting an asset you don’t control

How has a 1950s gas main serving 15,000 customers become a live resilience risk?
Why was a Compulsory Purchase Order needed to move a gas main out of someone else's bridge?
What does this mean for other networks with assets embedded in infrastructure they don't own?

Senior representative , SGN

12:40 PM

Questions and answers

1:45 PM

Navigating an increasingly complex demand landscape

Do we have enough readily available power to deliver the strategic demand required by data centres and AI zones, and avoid a missed opportunity for the UK?
Is industrial electrification still achievable, or should more focus be placed on clean gas integration?
How is the connections strategy evolving to support both strategic demand and other needs?
Are industrial customers’ needs getting overlooked in favour of enabling the government’s digital investment strategy?
How do we balance fairness to all customers with the urgency of strategic demand?

David Adkins, Strategic Demand Director , National Grid Electricity Transmission
Katie Davies, Head of Energy & Infrastructure Policy , techUK
Arjan Geveke, Director , Energy Intensive Users Group

2:25 PM

Decarbonising industry: How do you design a future-proof power supply for industrial customers?

Using data to identify the best decarbonisation options for industrial and energy intensive sites
Understanding the electricity requirements of major sites and applying it to network planning and investment
Working closely with stakeholders to help them understand and determine their power needs

Christine St John Cox, Platform Lead – Complex Site Decarbonisation , Energy Systems Catapult

2:45 PM

Panel: Are we building the network that customers actually want?

What do different consumer groups actually want from networks?
Why is increasing power demand not translating to electricity demand?
How can gas reinforce the system and address short-term affordability challenges?
Will the reliability of gas always prove to be the biggest blocker to increasing electricity demand?

Tom Lowe, Principal Economic Regulation Specialist , Citizens Advice
Angela Needle, Director of Strategy , Cadent

1:45 PM

Optimising system access as we move into the next price control

How do we minimise the impact of planned outages on vulnerable customers and essential service operators?

2:05 PM

Delivering planned works with minimal disruption

Where are opportunities for multi-sector cooperation to effectively coordinate system access and planned works?
How do local authorities support National Highways with full road closures for planned works
How can stakeholder engagement be adapted for energy networks and planned outages?

2:25 PM

Questions and answers

2:35 PM

Protecting the energy system and keeping hackers at bay

The dos and don’ts of working with AI in critical infrastructure
What can energy networks do to ensure field teams and control rooms are protected against cyberattacks?
How do networks manage more third parties becoming active participants in the energy system?

Barbara Opala, Senior Technology & Cyber Security Lawyer , Wales & West Utilities

2:55 PM

Supporting customers during supply disruption

Ensuring the right system failure mechanisms are in place to minimise time without power
Having a clear communication strategy to avoid customers being left in the dark
How can networks effectively manage the transition to being customer-facing?

Senior representative , National Grid Electricity Distribution

3:15 PM

Questions and answers

3:50 PM

International case study: Transitioning to a clean grid

Understanding the role of gas in the grid going forwards
Integrating renewables into local and regional energy systems
Ensuring the benefits are felt across society, business and industry

4:05 PM

Fireside chat: Does a decarbonised system mean a fully electrified system?

Identifying opportunities for AI to facilitate faster, more efficient decarbonisation
What impact is a lack of clarity on gas strategy having on industrial, and wider, decarbonisation timeframes?
What is the scale of infrastructure build required, and how can industries help accelerate their decarbonisation?
Will it ever be possible to have an energy system with no gas?

Charles Wood, Deputy Director , Energy UK
Maxine Frerk, Director , Grid Edge Policy

4:30 PM

Chair’s closing remarks and end of Future Networks 2027

3 March 2027

Registration and welcome

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