WICS publishes second set of SRC21 Decision Papers

The Water Industry Commission for Scotland has published four more Initial Decision Papers to inform its next price review for Scottish Water – the Strategic Review of Charges 2021-27.

These papers set out the Commission’s current view on:

• Macroeconomic assumptions – dealing with interest rates and inflation.

• Futureproofing service levels/sustainable asset maintenance – discussing options for dealing with likely higher future costs of asset maintenance and replacement.

• Enhancement investment – covering delivery efficiency, resilience and long term planning.

• Growth investment – including new connections and rural communities.

The Initial Papers, published last week, will be followed as the review progresses by Revised and then Final Decision Papers. Five other Initial Papers were published in June, covering price impacts, price prospects, the role of financial tramlines, the capital programme and communications.

The papers provide a framework within which Scottish Water and the Customer Forum can strive to negotiate a price and service package for the next period. WICS has declared it will be “minded to adopt a business plan that is consistent with the Commission’s Final Decision Papers and agreed with the Customer Forum as its draft determination.”

For coverage of the content of the papers, see September’s THE WATER REPORT