UK POWER NETWORKS: Network Fit for a Net Zero Future

The UK’s biggest electricity distributor charged with disseminating power to some 8.4 million homes and businesses, UK Power Networks keeps supplies flowing and lights on across 29,250 km² and supports and serves 19 million people, from Cromer in the East of England to Brighton on the south coast.

This leading infrastructure providers at the heart of building a smarter, more dynamic electricity network fit for a Net Zero carbon future, connecting ever-greater volumes of low carbon generation at an unprecedented pace while other sectors such as like transport and domestic heating are decarbonising through electrification.

“Our vision is to be an employer of choice, a respected and trusted corporate citizen and sustainably cost-efficient,” outlines CEO Basil Scarsella. “Our high performance is underpinned by values of integrity, respect, continuous improvement, responsibility, diversity and inclusiveness and unity.

“Our priorities are to tackle the climate crisis by connecting renewable energy, electric car chargers and low carbon heating, meet our customers evolving needs by improving our services, support our customers in vulnerable circumstances and go above and beyond for the communities we serve.”

ENABLING NET ZERO

It cannot be overstated that decarbonisation is one of the greatest challenges facing our generation, and UK Power Networks is fully cognisant that its business, together with the wider energy system and society at large, will need to undergo significant changes over the next decade if Net Zero is to be achieved by 2050. “As an electricity network operator, we are at the heart of enabling Net Zero because of our crucial role both in connecting renewable energy and facilitating the uptake of new low carbon technologies,” Scarsella enthuses of UK Power Networks’ enviable position to effectuate real change.

“We have set an ambition to be the most socially and environmentally responsible network operator and we are committed to taking a leading role in limiting irreversible change to our climate. As more and more major industries are switching from fossil fuels to electricity, we are at the heart of the change by providing the infrastructure to help these industries facilitate change.

“Our priorities are to tackle the climate crisis by connecting renewable energy, electric car chargers and low carbon heating, meet our customers evolving needs by improving our services, support our customers in vulnerable circumstances and go above and beyond for the communities we serve.” This duty, Scarsella furthers, translates to balancing the sometimes conflicting demands of value for money, the need to innovate, efficiency, safety, and the overall resilience of the network.

In response to significant government policy announcements such as the Net Zero Strategy and Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Strategy over the last 12 months, UK Power Networks has leapt into action to make the process of adopting new technologies, such as EVs, as hassle- free as it can be. “Our role is to ensure that there is sufficient network capacity to enable people to charge their EVs,” Scarsella says.

“We expect that by 2030 there will be over 3.6 million EVs needing to charge from our network. That’s why we have developed a digital self-service facility for customers seeking an upgrade to their electricity supply when they purchase an EV or any other low carbon technology.”

With this initiative having garnered praise from EV owners and charge point installers alike, the focus now shifts to several further promise-laden follow-ups, not least in UK Power Networks’ spearheading a world-first smart transformer trial set to provide unparalleled network insights to help maintain reliable power supplies in the south of England.

Project Stratus will see smart electricity transformers installed in streets across East Sussex in a trial alongside digital energy platform Amp X to provide live data on electricity usage and demand on a previously unattained scale. This will help the company increase network resilience and lay the groundwork for a low-carbon future, relayed Ian Cameron, Director of Customer Service and Innovation at UK Power Networks. “In a world of electric vehicles and decarbonised heating, this enhanced visibility and control of our network will allow us to efficiently manage the existing network infrastructure which was never designed for this increased load.”

Irene Di Martino, head of Amp X agreed, saying: “Working together with UK Power Networks to deliver this trailblazing project is an exciting step forward in delivering Net Zero. Innovation and data-driven work will be the driving force behind developing a more dynamic network that can meet the changing needs of society.”

TOP PERFORMER

In the context of its bid to be consistently the best performing Distribution Network and Distribution System Operator in the UK, UK Power Networks has bucked the trend of an overall decline in customer satisfaction in the utilities sector to achieve a prestigious third place in the Institute of Customer Service’s survey. Among the highest rated organisations on all five customer satisfaction categories assessed – experience, complaint handling, customer ethos, emotional connection and ethics, UK Power Networks was listed alongside household giants including John Lewis, M&S food & retail, Next, and Amazon.

“This fantastic result reflects the hard work of our employees, who understand the pressures facing so many of our customers and share in our commitment to deliver the basics of great service, well,” commented Cameron. “We work hard to do the right thing by customers in these difficult times and are heartened that customers are noticing the difference. This is all the inspiration we need to keep at it.”

Not only appreciated by its customers, UK Power Networks’ recognition spread to Best Companies Live, where the latest league tables placed it second overall in the Best Big Companies to Work for List, the 10th consecutive year that it has enjoyed top billing. High levels of pride in their work, a sense of family and teamwork, job security, line manager support and an approachable CEO and directors were some of the crucial factors cited by employees.

“Our workforce is closely tied to the communities we serve. Staff are encouraged to come up with better ways of working and challenge the status quo, as this helps deliver the best results for our customers and communities, so that we can all feel part of shaping the future success of our business,” said Andrew Pace, HR director at UK Power Networks.

“The emotional connection and dedication which our employees feel towards their job, their colleagues and our customers is driving our frontier performance.”