EP. 273 - From the C-Suite: What Next for Britain’s Energy Transition

This week on Energy Unplugged, we bring you a live panel discussion from Aurora’s Energy Transition Summit, moderated by Camilla Palladino, Deputy Head of Lex at the Financial Times. She is joined by Jonathan Brearley, CEO of Ofgem; Dame Dawn Childs, CEO of Pure Data Centres Group; and Keith Anderson, CEO of Scottish Power, for a wide-ranging debate on whether Britain’s energy transition can remain on course amid political uncertainty, rising bills and growing scrutiny of net-zero commitments.

Drawing on perspectives from regulation, infrastructure delivery and energy-intensive demand, the panel strikes a note of cautious optimism on the UK’s clean power ambitions, while highlighting the barriers that must be addressed. The conversation explores the need for faster planning and regulatory reform, greater policy stability to sustain investor confidence, and a grid fit for a 21st-century economy - capable of supporting growth in AI, data centres, manufacturing and life sciences. The discussion also examines affordability, questioning how network and policy costs are recovered, and why accelerating grid investment could be one of the most effective ways to cut system costs and ease pressure on consumers.

You will learn about:

• Why planning speed and regulatory agility are now critical to delivering the energy transition.
• How policy instability risks undermining investor confidence at a time of major capital need.
• The growing tension between rising electricity demand and an overstretched grid network.
• What grid reform and cost allocation could mean for energy bills and long-term system efficiency.

Registration for the leading annual gathering of the European energy industry – the Aurora Spring Forum, taking place on 29th April 2026, in London is open - a one-day deep dive into the biggest strategic questions shaping Europe’s energy transition, plus top-tier networking and a live recording of Energy Unplugged.

Book now at https://auroraer.com/events/aurora-spring-forum-2026 and use code PODCAST20 for 20% off.