HEAT NETWORK REGULATION: WE’RE READY, ARE YOU?
Posted by: electime 20th January 2026
Heat networks will be regulated by OFGEM from the 27th of January 2026, which represents a major shift for everyone involved, but fundamentally it recognises that heat networks stand to play a pivotal role in the UK’s decarbonisation agenda.
Regulation is not new to GTC – we have been operating with regulators, including OFGEM, for nearly 30 years due to the multi-utility nature of our business. This means that being compliant with regulation is second nature to our business operation.
GTC and its sister company Metropolitan have been designing, installing, and operating heat networks across the UK for 20 years, and we welcome the forthcoming OFGEM regulation. All our networks are operated to Heat Trust standards, which is not mandatory, but it showcases best practice across the industry. Most of the new regulations have been designed around these standards. GTC and Metropolitan are also members of the Energy Ombudsmen Scheme.
For heat networks operators who own or manage their networks, they must comply with OFGEM authorisation conditions including reporting, consumer communication and technical standards.
Regulation also offers consumers connected to heat networks the same peace of mine and protection to gas and electricity users – including transparent billing, fair pricing, and protections for vulnerable customers, like a Priority Services Register.
Keith Hutton, Group Regulation Director at GTC and Metropolitan, said: “We welcome the commencement of heat network regulation by OFGEM. GTC and Metropolitan have had a leading part in how heat networks are being rolled out across the country. 2023 saw us develop, design, and construct the UK’s first ever low-rise, low-density heat network which helped overcome planning concerns and site constraints. This was the first of many and the last two years has seen the business continue to develop other low carbon heat solutions.
“The introduction of regulation for heat networks shows how important they are to the UK’s energy infrastructure and our experience means we’ve been ready for this moment for a long time and are adept at ensuring regulatory compliance in all areas of our business”.
GTC will be running a free-to-attend webinar on Wednesday 21st January 2026, 11am – 12:15pm. Speakers include:
- Stephen Knight, Heat Trust Chief Executive
- Adam Tkacz, GTC Sustainable Heat Director
- Hannah Stewart, GTC Regulation Policy Manager
To register for the Decarbonising Heat Webinar: What Evolving Policy & Regulation Mean for You, please visit https://tinyurl.com/429jnvju
