Western Power Distribution’s Newark and Sherwood customers to play key role in net zero aspirations
A power company has unveiled ambitious plans as part of the UK's net zero aspirations, writes Cameron Rutherford.
Western Power Distribution (WPD) wants its customers to play a key part through its industry-leading innovation programme.
The local electricity network will enable customers to achieve their net zero goals well ahead of the UK and Welsh government targets of 2050 as part of a £6.7bn investment in the local grid.
WPD, which is responsible for delivering electricity to eight million homes and businesses across the Midlands, South West and South Wales, will also lead by example by becoming a carbon neutral business by 2028.
It will deliver all this while keeping customer bills broadly flat.
WPD’s five-year plan for 2023-28 means customers will be able to connect and charge their electric vehicles (EVs) and instal heat pumps in huge volumes without delay, with an additional 1.5m EVs and 600,000 heat pumps expected by 2028.
WPD’s chief executive Phil Swift said his customers can have full confidence in WPD to deliver these ambitious plans.
He said: “The future of energy has never been more exciting. WPD is leading an energy revolution: delivering a smart, digitalised electricity grid by 2028, while keeping customer bills broadly flat.
“Our customers can have full confidence that we’re ready to deliver on our ambitious and innovative proposals.
“By doing so we’ll ensure that our regions are at the forefront of the nation’s shift to net zero and a low carbon future.”
Crucially, WPD is pledging that no one will be left behind in the shift to a smart energy future.
It will deliver an ambitious programme to support customers in vulnerable situations, offering 600,000 customers a smart energy action plan each year to help access the benefits of low carbon technologies.
It will also support 113,000 fuel-poor customers to save more than £60m over five years.
WPD also plans to work with every school across its service area, providing electricity safety information to more than 200,000 school children, as well as providing £540,000 a year to instal solar panels on school roofs and pledging to insulate, underground or divert electricity cables near school playing areas to keep children safe.
For more information about WPD and their plans, visit their website here.