Northern Powergrid has reached out to more than 2.8 million of its customers offering them the opportunity to have their say on proposed improvements to the network that powers their daily life and the services it provides to 3.9 million homes and businesses in the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire from 2023 onwards.

The network operator has shared, via direct email to customers, links to short surveys aimed at gaining customers' views on the acceptability of Northern Powergrid's draft plans to support customers, continue to deliver safe and reliable power, keep network related charges on customers’ bills from their chosen suppliers low and invest to improve its network to deliver a greener energy future that support the region’s journey towards net zero.

The move comes as part of Northern Powergrid’s largest ever engagement programme to build its 2023-28 business plan. As part of the regulated business plan process, known as RIIO-ED2, Northern Powergrid must demonstrate to its industry regulator, Ofgem, and its Customer Engagement Group, which independently scrutinises and challenges Northern Powergrid’s business plan and the quality of engagement to support it, that is has provided a wide range of opportunities for stakeholders to be aware, involved and provide feedback.  

Siobhan Barton, Northern Powergrid’s Head of Stakeholder Relations, said: “We want to ensure that as many people as possible have the opportunity to have their say on the proposals that will help form our draft business plan which we will be submitting to Ofgem in July and then our final plan which will be submitted this December.

“We have created two short surveys which give a simple overview for customers about our plans – the first is about proposals to provide extra support to our customers who may be more vulnerable in a power cut and the second is about how we propose to improve our power network and the services we provide for our customers from 2023 onwards to support a greener, energy future.

"Within the first full day of going live we have already had thousands of people complete the surveys and we hope many more will take the opportunity to have their say before they close on Tuesday 8 June.”

Customers and other key stakeholders who have not received an email but would like to be involved can also share their views through the following links which will also close on 8 June 2021:

•             Share views on Northern Powergrid’s business plan proposals 

•             Share views on proposals to support vulnerable customers

The research is being independently managed by Explain Research and conducted in line with the Market Research Society (MRS) Code of Conduct.  All responses provided will be anonymous. 

To thank people for participating participants can opt to provide their name and email address if they wish to be entered into a free prize draw to win one of three sets of £250 high street vouchers. The prize draw will be carried out by Explain, the independent market research experts who are managing this survey on behalf of Northern Powergrid.