DAY ONE
Welcome to GRID-UK
Purpose/objectives for event – “Powering Prosperity”, showcasing achievement, problem solve challenges and opportunities.
Sir Greg Hands
Securing the Energy Economy & Governance
What has the UK government done to make clean power a reality?
Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
The Dynamics of Regulatory Reform
How streamlining regulation is creating an investible energy market.
Akshay Kaul, Ofgem
Delivering a secure, affordable and sustainable power grid
New technology from a market leader is supporting faster planning, procurement, and execution of grid projects.
Niklas Persson, CEO Grid Integration, Hitachi Energy
Electricity Networks Sector Growth Plan
What is the ENSGP and why does it matter?
Cordi O’Hara, President, NGED; Lawrence Slade, ENA; Yselkla Farmer, BEAMA; Phil Dingle, Lucy Electric
ICE State of the Nation Energy Report
The ICE has identified the engineering professions as the catalysts for delivering the rewiring of the UK transmission network in their 2026 annual State of the Nation report. In the last two years, ICE has certified thousands of new engineers. Are they finding work and how can the sister engineering disciplines collaborate to produce multi-disciplinary professionals the industry needs.
David Porter, ICE
The Great Grid Partnership
What is the Great Grid Partnership and what has it delivered that National Grid could not have achieved on its own?
WSP
Eastern Green Links
Are undersea cables more efficient for HV transmission than land-based infrastructure? What lessons have been learned from the first installations?
Ricky Saez, Programme Director, SSEN and Matt Barton, Portfolio Director, SPEN
New Projects Pipeline
The Government’s Infrastructure Pipeline provides an overview of planned infrastructure projects across the UK. Energy projects – including electricity network investments – represent a significant proportion of the over £750bn investment that is expected over the next 10 years. The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) is working to support investors and the supply chain to seize the opportunity across the country, including through greater spatial planning of infrastructure.
Jonathan Saks, Director of Strategy & Systems Change, NISTA
Access for all? Procurement & Supply Chain
The unparalleled investment in the UK’s energy infrastructure is a unique opportunity to engage businesses large and small across the UK, creating demand for locally sourced goods & services. How are contract costs being reconciled to generate social value outcomes?
Nicolas Pitrat, Brush Group; Rob Gilbert, Great British Energy; Pinder Kang, CRO, OCU Group; Pierre Gerbeaud, Tikehau Capital; Iain Smith, Strategy Director, Balfour Beatty
The role of AI in a decarbonising energy system
How is AI being deployed in the new decarbonised energy system and how resilient is it likely to be?
Rich Hampshire, CGI; Steven Steer, Zuhlke; Camilla Winlo, Talan; Katie Davies, techUK
Facilitating Customer Engagement & Implications for the Retail Market
With customer energy debt on the rise, how can we protect vulnerable customers and cut consumer bills?
Chris Norbury, CEO, E.ON Next and Adam Scorer, National Energy Action
Understanding the potential of flexibility
There are many ways of managing energy needs and controlling costs. Utilising flexibility systems and technologies is one of the most accessible ways of achieving this. This session provides insight into what flexibility is and how you as an energy user can benefit.
Cathy McClay, NGED/UK Flexibility Commissioner and Guy Newey, CEO, ES Catapult
Strategic Innovation Fund
How is the energy sector encouraging innovation?
Laura Sandys, Innovate UK
Building a resilient customer focused national EV charging network
Our experience making it happen.
Adrian Fielden-Gray, Chief Strategy Officer, BE.EV
Unlocking the value from UK grid investment
How do we ensure we collectively invest wisely, design boldly, and deliver with purpose, so we can unlock significant socioeconomic and environmental gains as well as a more secure, affordable and clean energy system?
Sally Prickett, UK Energy Lead, Arup
Networks for Nature
Lessons for environmentally responsible project delivery.
GHD
DAY TWO
Building Prosperity: How ED3 is creating partnerships with DSOs
The electricity distribution companies are preparing their business plans for the next control period starting in 2028. This session looks at the implications for economic growth emerging from one of the largest players in the sector.
Graham Campbell, Operations Director, SP Energy Networks
Why resilience matters
The ERP plays a key role in ensuring the energy system operates effectively during the period of national transition. Resilience plays out on 3 levels – energy supply, energy infrastructure, and individual companies.
Dr David Wright, Chair Energy Research Partnership and National Preparedness Commissioner
Linking energy investment to the wider UK economy
How can we be certain the energy transition will boost the UK economy?
Dhara Vyas, Energy UK & Guests
Local Power Plan & Community Energy
Can customers become asset owners? Opportunities and risks.
Dr Matt Vickers, CEO, Community Energy England, & Guests
How smart is your home?
New home-based technology is being linked to cut energy prices. Get up to date on what is happening and understand the tech you can use.
Phil Steele, Energy Evangelist, Octopus; Bean Beanland, Director of Growth, Heat Pump Association & Guests
National & Regional Spatial Planning
What is the relationship between land use planning and energy planning and what the implications?
Colm Murphy, Director of Connections, National Energy System Operator
Skills & Training – building the future energy workforce
How good are we as a nation predicting the volume and skillsets we are going to need to achieve the country’s NetZero ambitions? Are we making sufficient provision to invest in the training regimes we need? Is the pace and application of technical innovation already making some human training obsolete?
Electrification Skills Network; Matthew Knight, Head of Policy & Markets, Siemens Energy; Steve Feeley, ICE; Dr Marilyn Comrie OBE, Verciti.com; Beatrice Siyanbola, Valuation Analyst, Shell UK
Powering the economy: Demand in an evolving energy landscape
Development of datacentres are at the heart of the UK’s Industrial Strategy. How can demand for data storage be better managed?
AWS, AECOM, NEARA, techUK, Patrick Matthewson, MAKE UK
UK energy transition in an international context
The UK is earning a reputation for having the most dynamic energy market in the world. Are the comparisons with similar sized markets valid and why is the UK the smart destination for international energy investment?
Iberdrola, Engie, David Pownall, Schneider Electric
Perspectives – Past, Present, Future
First ever gathering of former UK Government energy ministers to review UK energy foundations of UK energy independence.
Sir Greg Hands, Amber Rudd, Charles Hendry, John Hutton, Fergus Ewing
What happens next?
GRID-UK is working with Cambridge Consultants to report on how more value can be extracted from the present energy transition plans. Hear what we are learning and what comes next.
Niall Mottram, Cambridge Consultants
Concluding Remarks
Sir Greg Hands