Cadent, the UK's largest gas distribution network, published a summary of consumer engagement work on 3 September 2024, saying the findings will inform the RIIO-GD3 Business Plan it will submit to Ofgem later this year1. The company said it had spent 24 months listening to consumers about their priorities1.
The report covers what Cadent describes as key highlights focused on value for money, reliability, customer service, sustainability and the future of gas1. Cadent said the engagement involved consumers and expert stakeholders, and that further research projects will follow before the Business Plan is finalised1. The company has not reported the specific findings of the research, the number of participants, or the cost of the engagement programme.
Mark Belmega, Cadent's Director of Sustainability and Social Purpose, said the work was intended to inform decision-making:
"We are always striving to provide better levels of customer service and support our local communities in ways that add the most value. To do this, it's essential that we provide a platform to engage with consumers and expert stakeholders to inform our decision-making process."
Cadent describes itself as the UK's largest gas distribution network with a 200-year legacy, delivering gas to 11 million homes from Cumbria to North London and the Welsh Borders to East Anglia1. It also manages the national gas emergency service free phone line, 0800 111 999, on behalf of the gas industry1. The company is owned by a consortium of global investors1. On the future of gas, Cadent states it supports the Government's plans to reach Net Zero by 2050 and backs the introduction of hydrogen as a low carbon alternative to natural gas1.
Why it matters for households
Cadent's network reaches 11 million homes, so the priorities it sets for the next regulatory period shape the pipes, pressures and emergency arrangements behind household gas supply1. The RIIO-GD3 plan will also set the allowances that determine how network costs feed into household bills, though the source does not give figures for what this means for any individual bill. The report's stated themes, including value for money and reliability, are the areas where consumer views are meant to carry weight in that process1. For homes weighing their energy independence, the document also confirms Cadent's position on hydrogen as a replacement for natural gas, a question that bears on whether existing gas connections have a long term role. The detail behind these themes has not been reported; only the summary has been published1.
What happens next
Cadent says the Business Plan will be submitted to Ofgem later in 20241. It says further insight will be shared from a series of research projects once the plan is finalised, with more input from expert stakeholders, domestic and business gas consumers and others in the communities it serves1. Ofgem's decision on the plan has not been dated in the source.
Sources1 cited
- Listening and acting for consumers - Cadent Gas Ltd, cadentgas.com