Ofgem has postponed its open hearings for the RIIO2 price control business plans due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The hearings, which are intended to allow industry stakeholders to give feedback on electricity and gas networks’ plans for the price controls beginning in 2021, were scheduled to take place between March and April in places including Cardiff, Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle and London.
A spokesperson told Utility Week that following government advice, it would not have been possible to run the hearings in their planned format. As such they have been postponed until further notice.
The spokesperson added that alternative options include hosting the hearings digitally.
According to a timetable published by Ofgem last December, draft determinations on the RIIO2 plans were due to be published in early summer and then followed by a two-month consultation.
The final determinations are due in November 2020.
Elsewhere in the sector, the final meeting of Climate Assembly UK, which was planned for this weekend, has been postponed.
The citizens assembly, which is an initiative of six House of Commons select committees, was due to gather in Birmingham.
The assembly was scheduled to vote on the conclusions and recommendations it will make to Parliament on how the UK can reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 but this will now take place at a later date.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the assembly said: “This decision was taken following careful consideration of the duty of care Climate Assembly UK owes to assembly members, staff and stakeholders.
“We realise that this will be a disappointment to assembly members and to many others who have been following Climate Assembly UK. The discussions and votes due to take place on weekend four will still take place at a later date to conclude the work of the assembly.
“We will assess the situation, including talking to assembly members, before deciding on the best way to do this. Further announcements will be made in due course.”
Utility Week has created an anonymous survey about the possible impacts coronavirus will have on the sector which you can access here.