Shares in the listed water companies were among the few risers on a tough day for London’s blue chips as investors decided they had got off lightly in Ofwat’s final price and investment determinations for the next five years.
Pennon Group PLC (LSE:LON:PNN, OTC:PEGRY), the owner of South West Water, saw its shares rise by 3.3%, Severn Trent (LON:SVT) by 1.8% and United Utilities (LON:UU) by 1.1%.
On average, bills for the regulatory period until 2029-30 will rise by 36% or £31 a year.
Midlands-based Severn Trent (NS:TREN) PLC (LSE:SVT) has bagged a 47% rise to £583, United Utilities Group PLC (OTC:UUGRY) (LSE:UU.) prices are going up by 32% to £585 over the period while Pennon’s South West water customers are facing a 23% hike to £610.
Pennon hailed the outcome saying the ‘outstanding’ nature of South West Water’s business plan had also been recognised through a 30 basis points (0.3%) uplift in its cost of capital and a total expenditure allowance of £4.5 billion.
Simplified, the cost of capital governs how much money the water suppliers are allowed to make and the higher the number the more leeway they have.
Pennon, which has regularly been slated for sewage dumping on its heritage-rated coastline, added that, after the determination, revenues over the five-year period will be £4.4bn for South West Water and £0.4bn for another subsidiary, SES.
In September, Pennon set aside £16 million to compensate customers for an outbreak of water poisoning in Brixham over the summer.
Severn Trent also welcomed the final determination, which it said showed favourable movements on five key topics from the draft
Overall, Ofwat has approved £14.9 billion of total expenditure for Severn Trent in AMP8, an increase of £3.1 billion from the Draft Determination and around twice as much as was approved in PR19.
Following Ofwat's determination, the allowed cost of capital is up 31 basis points to 4.03%, including a cost of debt of 3.15% and cost of equity of 5.1%, before taking account of Severn Trent Water's bonus for its PR24 business plan.
United Utilities was more circumspect, stating it would take time to review the document more thoroughly.
David Black, Ofwat chief executive, told the BBC the new plans will "deliver a significant reduction in sewage spills, further reductions in leakage, and drive up service for customers".
A total of £104bn is to be spent on upgrades for the sector, he added, which Ofwat said would deliver "cleaner rivers and seas and secure long-term drinking water supplies for customers".
Southern Water customers will be hit by the biggest increase, with bills going up 53% - to £642 on average - by 2030 while Wessex and Northumbrian Water bills will rise by the smallest amount at 21%.
Ofwat added that the increases are likely to phased with the biggest increase of around £86 per bill on average coming next year.
-adds Severn Trent comment--