Speaking at a House of Commons networking reception organised by Utility Week in association with the ENA, chairman Basil Scarsella said although the smart meter rollout will be “supplier-led”, the networks “will have significant input in making sure that customers are not necessarily disrupted”.
The networks must “continue to innovate” to meet the “massive challenges” they face, he said, including the facilitation of the transition to a low-carbon economy, and responding to electric vehicles and heat networks.
He added that networks must ensure the availability of smart networks so that consumers have control over their energy use, and must encourage competition in their businesses, which have “traditionally been monopolies”.
“We’ve seen an improvement in reliability, both in electricity and gas networks,” Scarsella said. These include increased investments in gas and electricity, increased quality of customer service to 85 per cent customer satisfaction, improved public and employee safety, and a regulatory regime in place which is “followed by the major world economies”.
“There’s a lot to be proud of when we look back, but importantly we also need to look forward,” he added.
Also speaking at the reception were energy secretary Amber Rudd and Energy and Climate Change committee chair Angus MacNeil.