The energy regulator Ofgem has today announced a 13% increase of the energy price cap for the period covering 1 July to 30 September 2026.
Responding to the announcement, Dr David Wright FREng CEng FIET MIGEM, Chair and Non-Executive Director of the Energy Research Partnership, Former Chief Engineer at National Grid and member of the NEPC Clean Power Advisory Working Group says:
“The energy price cap is set to rise by 13% in July, driven by the global rise in gas prices in response to the recent conflict in the Middle East, highlighting how vulnerable the UK remains to sudden wholesale price shocks.
"The path to reducing that vulnerability requires rapid decarbonisation of our electricity system. Engineering solutions exist to deliver on this, but they depend on coordinated policy, investment certainty, and long‑term planning that supports timely, efficient rollout.
"As part of this, the UK must accelerate the digitalisation of energy so all customers can benefit from smart tariffs and adjust their electricity demand to the cheapest periods, as well as managing the delivery risks to deliver the clean power infrastructure the country needs, as we argue in our recent report ‘Smart Systems for Clean Power: Why faster, better digitalisation is critical to Clean Power 2030 and beyond’.
"By addressing the risks head‑on, the UK can build a more resilient system that protects households from future price shocks while meeting our climate commitments.”
