NEW! RESILIENCE STAGE

Examining the road to net zero and shifting priorities for utilities to be stewards of the environment, embrace nature-based solutions and drive resilient operations.

Championing nature-positive progress in utilities. This stage explores how the sector is restoring ecosystems, embedding biodiversity, and embracing circular, regenerative practices. Hear from pioneers leading on sustainable drainage, catchment-based approaches, habitat restoration, and low-carbon operations alongside green gas. Discover how environmental resilience and utility performance go hand-in-hand

All this free content is CPD accredited CPD Certification Service

Keynote programme coming soon!

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19 May 2026
  1. Resilience Stage

    As demand on the electricity grid intensifies—from the rapid growth of renewable energy sources and low carbon technologies to the electrification of industry and transport—the need for smarter, faster and more flexible grid connections and capacity has never been greater. This session explores how the grid must evolve to meet these challenges, including the role of ED3, innovative approaches to unlocking capacity and the future of grid connectivity.


    Chair welcome and introduction
    Lucinda Dann, Features Editor - Utility Week

    Strategic planning for future grid needs
    Alice Etheridge, Head of Strategic Spatial Energy Planning - NESO

    Unlocking flexibility: How DSOs enable demand shifting to maximise local renewable generation
    Doerte Schneemann, Head of Flexibility Markets - National Grid

    Creative connections and flexibility: enabling a more coordinated grid
    Peter Clutton-Brock, Chief Executive - Yottar

  2. Resilience Stage

    As environmental expectations rise, utilities must move beyond compliance to adopt nature-first strategies that deliver meaningful biodiversity gains in operations and infrastructure delivery. This session will unpack how to measure and monitor biodiversity, harness the power of nature and deliver a positive impact to the local environment.


    Chair welcome and introduction
    Gabriela Dotro, Chair - Constructed Wetlands Association

    Biodiversity net gains explained
    Nick White, Principal Advisor - Net Gain - Natural England

    Delivering biodiversity net gain: across varying habitats
    Emily Johns, Nature Strategy Manager - SSE

    Benefits of nature-based solutions for the water industry
    Ruth Barden, Director of Environmental Solutions - Wessex Water

  3. Resilience Stage

    As utilities face more extreme weather events and growing pressure to secure supply for future generations, integrating climate resilience into asset management and operations is critical. Join this session to gain the latest insight into what utility networks are doing to mitigate climate risk and environmental impact, ensure operational resilience and minimise disruption to consumers.


    Chair welcome and introduction
    To be announced

    SIF Funded Predict 4 Resilience: accurate fault insights during adverse weather events
    Fraser Lynch, Control Room Manager - SP Energy Networks

    Climate Resilience Demonstrator (CReDo+): resilience against climate stresses of extreme heat, wind, flood and soil moisture
    Alanna Gluck, CReDO Engagement Lead - Connected Places Catapult

    Talk title coming soon
    Daniel Perry, Climate Change and Carbon Manager - Affinity Water
     
  4. Resilience Stage

    Utility networks need to transform operations to be more sustainable. Understanding the ways to benchmark, monitor and report of ESG initiatives is critical to improving the current way of working. Join this session to learn how companies are decarbonising operations, improving sustainability reporting and meeting regulatory requirements.


    Chair welcome and introduction
    Matt Mace, Editor - edie

    The breadth and depth of sustainability and net zero in water
    Dan Green, Group Sustainability Director - YTL Group/Wessex Water

    Less talk, more action: moving beyond reporting to delivering sustainably
    Sarah Beattie-Smith, Senior Sustainability Manager - SSE Transmission

    Making carbon visible: turning transparency into transformation
    Ella Moorey, Group Sustainability Lead - Utilita

  5. Resilience Stage

    What does the future hold for the gas network? Will gas use decline due to electrification? What role could green gases like biomethane and hydrogen play? And what does that mean for our gas infrastructure? Will we still need it? If so, how much and for what purpose? What might the regulatory impacts of a declining user base be? This session explores all of these things and more.


    Chair welcome and introduction
    James Earl, Chief Executive - FEN

    Talk title coming soon
    Adam Bell, Director of Policy - Stonehaven

    Talk title coming soon

    To be announced



    The role of Gas Networks in supporting integrated energy systems
    Jonathan Martindale, Director of Business Development - Phoenix Energy

    The role of biomethane in a GB whole energy system
    Nic Crowe, Co Chair - Green Gas Taskforce

20 May 2026
  1. Resilience Stage

    Leakage poses a major challenge due to resource loss, increased operational costs, and environmental impact. Aging infrastructure, poor monitoring, and delayed maintenance often contribute to undetected leaks. This session explores the latest innovations, maintenance strategies and technologies helping networks drastically reduce leakage.


    Chair welcome and introduction
    Jeremy Heath, Innovation Manager - SES Water

    Targeting 50% reductions by 2050: how will we meet the 50 by 50 challenge?
    Jeremy Heath, Innovation Manager - SES Water

    The industry-wide ambition on customer side leakage and the impact of wide-spread smart metering
    Sarah Watts, Smart Solutions Project Lead - Dayworth Consulting

    Deep dive into Welsh Water’s leakage strategy and rollout of innovative approaches
    Chris Rees, Head of Water Engineering - Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water

  2. Resilience Stage

    With increasing pressure on water companies to mitigate environmental harm from combined sewer overflows (CSOs), the sector must embrace innovation and smarter operations to reduce spills. This session will examine emerging technologies, regulatory expectations and nature-based solutions to address the challenge.


    Chair and update from the National Storm Overflow Hub
    Nik Perepelov, Head of Natural Environment - Water UK

    Regulatory expectations and finding a way forward for nature based solutions
    Matthew Stembrowicz, Senior Advisor - EA

    Tackling the problem at source: pre pipe solution
    Matt Wheeldon, Director of Infrastructure Development - Wessex Water

    Treating more with nature based solutions
    Claire Green, Manager of Environmental Planning and Governance - Yorkshire Water

  3. Resilience Stage

    As heavy industries move toward decarbonisation, the UK must align its energy system to support cleaner processes without compromising reliability. This session explores how policy and innovation are driving the necessary infrastructure build and innovative solutions to deliver security of supply.


    Chair welcome and introduction
    Lucinda Dann, Features Editor - Utility Week

    Decarbonising industrial clusters with microgrids
    Paul Glendinning, Director of Energy Systems - Northern Power Grid

    Innovation for industrial water users: finding alternatives to drinking water for industrial processes
    Mallak Mustafa, Innovation Project Manager - Southern Water

    Leveraging the value of co-location in meeting demand for data centres
    Alex Howison, Director - Eclipse Power Optimise

  4. Resilience Stage

    To truly reap the rewards of NBS and ensure long-term impact, utilities need to take a catchment approach to deployment. By considering the entire landscape and upstream-downstream interactions, utilities can better manage resources, reduce risks, and enhance ecosystem services. Join this session to uncover holistic strategies, how to maintain successful partnerships and how to integrate NBS into broader water management plans.


    Chair welcome and introduction
    Gabriela Dotro, Chair - Constructed Wetlands Association

    River basin management engaging with multiple players across a catchment
    Mike Morris, Technical Director - Stantec

    Managing catchment scale risk management of assets: responding to climate change
    Laura Burnett, Climate Change Adaptation Technical Lead - Scottish Water

    Rivers as infrastructure: scaling nature-based resilience
    Amina Aboobakar - Rivers Trust

"There are so many interesting things to discover at Utility Week Live. The talks give fascinating insight into issues facing the industry, how to deal with them, and what the future looks like. For someone looking to expand their horizons, it's definitely worth visiting. Utility Week Live is also a very good place to network and meet new people from an array of different companies"

- UWL visitor