Slight delay to CMA draft determinations

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has said its provisional determinations for the five water companies appealing their PR24 settlements from Ofwat will now be “early October”, rather than the “mid September” set out in the administrative timetable.

The CMA said it will adjust the timetable accordingly, “noting our overall statutory deadline of 17 March 2026, which remains the same”.

It is likely to want to stick to the current plan of publishing a summary of its final determinations in mid December and the full determinations in mid January, so prices can be adjusted in time for 1 April 2026. Potentially the deadline for responses to the provisional determinations will be compressed.