Progress against our strategy
Delivering on our strategic priorities
UK Power Networks delivers a safe, reliable service that meets our customers’ needs, provides value for money and facilitates the transition to Net Zero.
Ensuring safety of employees and customers
What this means
We make the safety of our employees, contractors and the public our number one priority.
Why this is important
We want UK Power Networks to provide a working environment where no one suffers injury or illness because of our actions or inactions.
Our commitments
- Minimise injuries to our staff as measured by the Total Recordable Injury Rate (accident rate per 100,000 hours worked) striving to be less than 0.05 by the end of the RIIO-ED2 period.
- Reduce the number of third-party overhead line and underground cable strikes by at least 20% over RIIO-ED2 (relative to the average of RIIO-ED1 actuals from 2015–2020).
- Increase our commitment to engage with the public around safety issues, focusing on those who are at highest risk of injury from contact with our networks, by engaging with 300,000 people per year during RIIO-ED2 (vs. 250,000 people per year during RIIO-ED1).
2023/24 achievements
- Since becoming an independent company in 2010, our Total Recordable Injury Rate (TRIR)has decreased by 84%. Our TRIR in 2023/24, the first year of RIIO-ED2, was 0.08. Safety remains our top priority and we are intensifying our efforts to reach our commitment of less than 0.05 by the end of the five-year RIIO-ED2 period.
- In 2023/24, we achieved a reduction in third-party strikes of our overheads lines and underground cables of 38% and 62% respectively.
- In the first year of RIIO-ED2, we engaged with more than 580,000 people through our public outreach programme against a target of 300,000 for the year. This keeps us on target to reach 1.5 million people over the five-year RIIO-ED2 period.
Providing a reliable electricity supply
What this means
We maintain electricity cables and lines across London, the East and South East of England and make sure power flows reliably, safely and securely.
Why this is important
Reliable access to electricity is becoming ever‑more crucial, as we decarbonise transport and heating systems, for example by switching to electric vehicles and heat pumps.
Our commitments
- Improve underlying network reliability (as measured by Customer Interruptions (CIs) and Customer Minutes Lost (CMLs)) by the end of RIIO-ED2.
- Continue to improve our organisational resilience and aim to achieve a 'Good practice' rating against the BS 65000 standard that will be independently assessed by the Emergency Planning College (EPC), by the end of the RIIO-ED2 period.
- Continue to improve our resilience to sophisticated cyber-attacks throughout RIIO-ED2 and comply with the relevant regulations.
2023/24 achievements
- In 2023/24, our networks achieved a reliability performance of 99.99%. We ranked number one in the UK for smart grid capabilities in the Singapore Power Group’s Smart Grid Index.
- Working with the Cabinet Office Emergency Planning College, we have aligned ourselves to the British Standard, BS 65000:2014 Guidance on organisational resilience. In our latest baseline review conducted in September 2021, we beat our target by achieving the highest possible maturity rating for 'Risk Management' and 'Leadership and Culture' and received the next highest rating in the remaining three categories.
- We attained our Network and Information Systems (NIS) Cyber Assessment Framework Basic Profile in Dec 2023 and are planning for an enhanced profile attainment.
Ensuring customer satisfaction
What this means
We continue to improve existing services to meet customers’ evolving needs.
Why this is important
We want to ensure that our customers have the best possible service from us. We are always on the lookout for ways to improve what we do and how we do it.
Our commitments
- Maintain our position as the best service provider over the RIIO-ED2 period. We aim to be the No.1 DNO Group as measured by customer satisfaction, or to achieve at least a 93% score on average across our networks in each year of RIIO-ED2, whichever is higher.
- Resolve customer complaints quickly, improving customer satisfaction against our RIIO-ED1 baseline performance in each year of RIIO-ED2. We will target 89% 1st day resolution and 99% 31-day resolution.
- Monitor and measure customer service in segments: those who are vulnerable, those using LCTs, and small businesses. We aim to be the No.1 DNO for customer satisfaction in those segments or to achieve at least a 93% score on average across our networks in each year of RIIO-ED2.
2023/24 achievements
- We have maintained our position as the number one service provider after having been ranked 1st in Ofgem’s Broad Measure of Customer Satisfaction with a 94% customer satisfaction; our best ever score.
- Remained in the top 10 list of best customer service providers by the Institute of Customer Service (ICS) across all UK industries. Our customer complaints 1st day resolution rate is 91% and our 31-day resolution rate is 99%.
- Ranked 1st for stakeholder engagement and consumer vulnerability for fifth year in a row. We are ranked No.1 DNO group for customer satisfaction in the low-carbon technology segment.
Delivering value for money
What this means
We deliver the lowest possible bills by driving efficiency and innovation in everything we do.
Why this is important
We provide an essential service, so we take every opportunity to maximise value for our customers, and keep our part of the bill low.
Our commitments
- Our DSO function to deliver up to £410m reduction in load related expenditure during RIIO-ED2 through increased competition and use of Low Voltage (LV) flexibility, including at the domestic level.
- Keep our costs down by taking a flexibility and energy efficiency first approach over RIIO-ED2 and will market test all network needs before considering reinforcement. These needs to be procured through a range of long-term and short-term markets and products, which are inclusive by design and ensure no customer is left behind in the energy transition.
2023/24 achievements
- We continue to remain the lowest cost DNO in 2023/24. This means our customers pay 22% less than the industry average.
- £91m benefits in 2023/24 by using flexibility to deliver capacity, saving the cost of distribution network reinforcement. As committed in the business plan, we are on target to deliver £410m benefits during the RIIO-ED2 period.
- We continue to run long-term tenders twice a year. We awarded over 1.5 GW of contracts and dispatched 7.8 GWh of flexibility in 2023/24, a seven-fold increase on 2022/23. We continue to operate the most accessible flex markets in GB, with c30,000 households currently participating.
Innovating to facilitate the transition to Net Zero
What this means
Innovation is central to our vision, as we strive to be the most innovative of all the Distribution Network Operators.
Why this is important
Our openness to new and better ways of working is the driving force behind our success. That is why we are continuing to lead the industry in preparing the electricity infrastructure and network for transition to Net Zero.
Our commitments
- Allocate £25m Network Innovation Allowance (NIA) funding over the RIIO-ED2 period, of which £20m will go to third parties, targeted to ideas that deliver wider societal benefits.
- Over RIIO-ED2 we will deliver 1 GW of distributed energy resources (DER) capacity at no more than £8m, using smart interventions and new innovations, reporting progress in our annual business plan.
2023/24 achievements
- In the first year of RIIO-ED2, 2023/24, we have deployed three innovative solutions into our everyday business as usual operations resulting in £0.9m of customer savings due to innovation.
- In 2023/24, we have spent £2.9m on innovation projects with 85% of funding to third parties.
- In 2023/24, we have delivered 0.3 GW of distributed energy resources (DER) and are on track to deliver 1 GW of DER capacity at no more than £8m over RIIO-ED2.
