Secretary flags urgent problems
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh told delegates at Energy UK's conference on 14 October 2026 that the UK energy system is failing consumers and needs big changes to keep public support for the clean power shift. She pointed to exposure to global fossil fuel markets, long grid connection delays and network constraints as proof the setup is simply not working.
She said: "That is a reality that none of us can be happy with, and it is one that we are absolutely determined to turn around as a government."
Grid delays and price swings
Projects can wait up to 15 years for connections where no infrastructure exists, slowing new renewables, industrial electrification and housing. At the same time, international events keep pushing household bills around because the market stays tied to gas prices. The energy price cap still adjusts regularly, and Ofgem continues to oversee the market to protect customers.
What the government wants next
Reforms must pass the "number one test" of direct consumer benefit, Fahnbulleh stressed. Short-term help such as the Warm Home Discount (£150 credit for eligible homes between October and March) gives breathing space, yet the aim is cheaper wholesale electricity by 2035 through fixed-price contracts and removing legacy levies. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, set up in February 2023, leads the work.
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