Delivering innovation and improvements for over 20 years
Our members have led innovation and improvements in the energy sector since 1996 and we are passionate about continuing to add value to, and shape, the UK’s successful energy future.
We continue to improve competition and customer choice
Before the existence of independent networks in the market, customers who wanted to connect to the energy or water or wastewater system had no choice but to take the service and price offered by the geographical incumbent.
The introduction of independent networks, and the competition they developed, has resulted in more choice for customers, coupled with a service provided to the same high levels of technical professionalism and safety standards as the incumbent company.
The scale and breadth of choice available, and the level of competition, have also continued to grow.
The independent utility network choice:
1. Choice of who provides your connections
2. Choice of who owns and operates the built network
3. Choice of single, dual or multi-utility offerings
4. Choice of innovative approaches to connections, instead of single regional standards
5. Choice of using a preferred utility network partner, nationally.
A better, faster service at lower cost
“Independent networks have helped to build connections and networks faster”
“Independent networks have helped to build connections and networks faster, which should help in efforts to increase housing supply,’ and ‘competition between networks has offered greater choice and faster processes for developers.’
Citizens Advice, June 2019
Project enablement improved through independent offers
The commercial viability of new utility infrastructure is improved through the commercial and financing offers that the independent networks can offer.
Operating in competitive markets, independent networks can offer financing options and may discount part of the cost of constructing the new utility network against the lifetime value of it, as it becomes an asset for the Independent Network Operator.
These commercial offers can reduce the upfront capital investment needed from developers and end customers and improve the client’s cash flow during the construction of their projects. This can make projects which require significant, or high cost, utility networks more viable.
