Collaborative PR24 forum to be formed for Wales

Stakeholders in Wales will be invited to provide early feedback on the high-level, long-term outcomes that Welsh water companies propose in PR24 via a new ‘collaborative approach’ proposed by Ofwat for the forthcoming price review. This is in response to the collaborative demands of Welsh policy, including the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act and the Welsh government’s Strategic Policy Statement for Ofwat.

The approach will be mobilised via a new Wales PR24 Forum, made up of core members the Welsh government, Ofwat, Natural Resources Wales, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the Consumer Council for Water, Welsh Water and Hafren Dyfrdwy. The forum will discuss how outcomes should be balanced against cost, and how long term outcomes should be phased in over the AMPs. Ofwat said the forum would also give it a clear understanding of the priorities of Welsh stakeholders as it carries out the price review.

The idea is that Welsh Water and Hafren Dyfrdwy will take the output of the process and feed it into their long-term delivery strategies and five-year business plans.