The Utility Regulator has published a consultation on the Mid‑Term Review of the current price control for NI Water, PC21, and is seeking views on our Draft Determination.
The Utility Regulator is the independent economic regulator for water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland. Our primary role within the water industry is to protect the interests of consumers, both today and in the future.
NI Water is a Government-owned company which is responsible for providing water and sewerage services to consumers in Northern Ireland. Since it is the sole provider of these services, we undertake price controls which ensure NI Water has enough revenue to operate an efficient business that delivers what Northern Ireland consumers need.
Our PC21 Final Determination was published in May 2021 and covers the six‑year period from 2021 to 2027. It reflected the priorities set in the Department for Infrastructure’s Social and Environmental Guidance. It also ensured value for money by allowing NI Water the revenue required to support a deliverable investment plan which was efficient and affordable from a tariff perspective.
The Mid-Term Review was included in PC21 as the opportunity for NI Water to address any uncertainty that existed when the PC21 Final Determination was published in 2021.
This Draft Determination sets out our Mid-Term Review provisional findings following our assessment of NI Water's submission. This consultation provides an opportunity for consumers and stakeholders to express their views on our provisional conclusions.
Our Mid-Term Review proposes:
- Limited adjustments to output targets.
- An average tariff increase of 4.6% for non-domestic consumers in each of the last two years of the PC21 period to mitigate against an unprecedented increase in NI Water’s power costs.
- A capital allowance of c£2.4bn in ‘money of the day’ prices (nominal) for the full price control period to maintain existing services and deliver the upgrades required to meet its quality, environmental and service level obligations.
This PC21 Mid-Term Review Draft Determination is published as an open consultation document. We have not posed any specific questions and instead invite consumers and stakeholders to express views on any particular aspect of the determination that they wish to.
The consultation period is eight weeks and written responses should be received no later than 12:00pm on Thursday 27 June 2024. Further information on the consultation and how to respond can be found in our consultation section.
Copies of all documents can be made available in large print, Braille, audio cassette and a variety of relevant minority languages if required.