Control Costs and Build Resilience:
Market, Costs and Clarity
Tuesday 21 April 2026
IET London
As energy and water markets continue to shift, major users face rising complexity and growing pressure to stay in control. MEUC’s flagship conference brings together expert insight and real-world experience to cut through the noise and focus on what matters: how costs are changing and risk is moving, and what you can do about it.
Across a focused programme of practical sessions, Buying and Using Utilities Live examines how market movements translate into the bills you pay, and how organisations are responding — from procurement and policy to resilience, flexibility and long-term strategy.
Join peers, practitioners and industry leaders in London to gain the clarity, tools and confidence needed to navigate volatility and take meaningful control of your utility costs.
Draft Agenda
| 09.00 | Registration, Coffee and Networking |
| 09.50 | Conference begins |
| 09.55 | Welcome to MEUC’s Buying and Using Utilities Live Peter Roper, Chairman, MEUC |
Session 1 – The New Energy Bill Reality
System costs are now the headline. You now need to forecast credibly, manage tightly, and act operationally
| 10.00 | Introduction Chair: to be announced |
| 10.05 | Network & System Costs: Control levers that change the outcome Why system costs are rising and the practical levers that change outcomes: profile/peak management, flexibility and behind-the-meter options. Arthur Probert, Carbon and Consultancy Director, Ameresco |
| 10.20 | The cost of going green: is there help on the way for businesses? 2026 is set to be a big year for non-commodity costs, with businesses facing major increases across the network, system and policy charges they pay to support the clean power transition. Chris Richards, Head of Corporate and Strategic Sales, npower Business Solutions |
| 10.35 | The UK Market Outlook for Buyers: What still moves price – signals, scenarios and risk Separate market noise from decision-grade signals. A clear outlook on the drivers that still shift wholesale costs and how to align buying strategy to uncertainty. Avtandili Phkhakadze, European Energy Risk Manager, SE Advisory Services |
| 10.50 | From insight to action: Key considerations for a clean power procurement strategy Choices matter more than ever! What are the practical considerations behind building a robust, credible clean power strategy. Stuart Kirby, National Sales Manager, TotalEnergies |
| 11.05 | Engage, Query, and Learn: An open forum for delegates to interact with the speakers, seek clarifications, and discuss challenges. Questions led by the Chair |
| 11.20 | Networking Break |
Session 2 – Taking Control
From data readiness to operational control: protect visibility → optimise performance → build resilience (across energy and water).
| 11.50 | Introduction Chair: to be announced |
| 11.55 | Avoiding the fallout of MHHS: Taking control of Data quality and meter readiness. Market-wide Half Hourly Settlement (MHHS) migration is underway, and businesses must take control now to avoid the inevitable fallout from Suppliers who miss the new, strict data targets set by Elexon. Joel Stark, Executive Chairman, Stark |
| 12.10 | Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in a Delivered Price World: what works for you and why How relief eligibility affects PPA selection, and the key questions that protect total cost and keep contracted outcomes predictable. Chris Rayner, Senior Business Development Manager, SSE Energy Solutions |
| 12.25 | Every Hour Counts: The next era of renewable certification Annual renewable energy accounting can mask the reality of when clean power is actually used. This presentation will be about hourly matching as the next frontier in credible climate action, and what it means for corporate energy strategies. Tom Parsons, Commercial Director, Good Energy |
| 12.40 | Resilience Beyond Energy: water risk, leakage and cost control Run water with the same discipline as energy. Why water belongs in the same resilience conversation and the fast wins that cut waste, cost and disruption through metering, monitoring, alerts and reporting. Oli Shelley, Director of Water Efficiency Services, Wave |
| 12.55 | Engage, Query, and Learn: An open forum for delegates to interact with the speakers, seek clarifications, and discuss challenges. Questions led by the Chair |
| 13.10 | Networking Lunch |
Session 3 – Strategy That Holds Up in 2026 and where to look for the future.
Make your cost-control repeatable: The strategy session. Align Finance, Operations and Sustainability around decisions that stand up to scrutiny when system costs and pass-through charges dominate the bill.
| 14.10 | Introduction Don McGarrigle, part of the MEUC family and long-standing contributor |
| 14.15 | Procurement Reset: Contracting and Reporting when system costs dominate When system costs dominate, strategy beats quick decisions. From route-to-market choices, risk appetite, portfolio strategy and reporting, keep your organisation in control when you can’t hedge everything. Wesley Scott, Head of Industrial Sales & Solutions, Brook Green Supply |
| 14.30 | Policy, Reform and Relief Reality: BICS Planning for 2026-27 (What to assume and what not to) What to plan on if you’re not eligible: challenge points, evidence, pass-through controls, and where you can still influence outcomes. Eloise Ogden, Senior Manager of Market Development, EDF Energy |
| 14.45 | Beyond the Signature: Managing a Corporate PPA Over Time Choosing and signing the right corporate PPA is one decision; making it work over time is another. How performance, risk and continuity need to be managed as business needs (and teams) can change over the life of the deal. Callum O’Reilly, Renewable Strategic Originator, Drax Energy Solutions |
| 15.00 | From Ambition to Execution: Managing Renewable Electricity at Scale Major energy users must balance decarbonisation goals with security, flexibility and cost. The management of Google’s UK renewable power portfolio offers insight into the practical realities of delivering large-scale renewable electricity. Andrew Evans, Head of Global Key Accounts, Shell Energy |
| 15.15 | Engage, Query, and Learn: An open forum for delegates to interact with the speakers, seek clarifications, and discuss challenges. Questions led by the Chair |
| 15.30 | Networking Break |
Session 4 – MEUC 7×7, (Pecha Kucha style presentations)
Presentations with 7 focused slides, just 7 minutes each, giving you short, sharp insight into new and established topics and trends.
| 15.45 | Introduction Robin Hale, Chief Executive, MEUC |
| 15.50 | Energy price risk: How to have budget certainty when markets move Catherine Gale and Michael Doherty, Paratus |
| What happened to REMA? The changes still moving through the market. Richard Koszykowski, MEUC | |
| Energy management on sites: how data can deliver savings. Joe Youldon, Swan Energy | |
| Keeping on Track: Pulse Check (Live Voting) Presenter from MEUC | |
| 16.35 | Open Questions and where you can find out more. |
| 16.45 | Close |
Register for Buying and Using Utiltiies Live, MEUC’s Spring Conference and Exhibition below.
Please note this event is limited to MEUC Members and end-users only.