Keith Anderson, Chief Executive Officer of ScottishPower, speaking at Energy UK’s annual conference, warned about the potential impact of proposed zonal pricing on the UK energy sector.
Mr Anderson argued that introducing such a significant change to the pricing system could lead to uncertainty and disrupt progress towards the UK’s 2030 decarbonisation goals.
Keith Anderson highlighted, “We need to be incredibly careful how we do that. We need to make sure we do it with lots of time and consideration and lots of planning about the future.”
He stressed that the focus should be on accelerating investment in renewable energy rather than introducing new complexities that could divert attention from critical goals.
Mr Anderson also cautioned against the wholesale introduction of zonal pricing, suggesting it could hinder progress.
He said, “What we don’t want to do is introduce wholesale change that creates uncertainty and diverts attention away from delivering the prize.”
His comments reflect growing concerns within the industry about the reform.
Manufacturing groups, including Make UK, had previously warned that zonal pricing could result in higher energy costs in certain regions, potentially leading to job losses and business relocations, particularly in energy-intensive industries like steel production.
