Energy Purchasing
Network Rail provides the energy for the whole of the UK rail industry and manages those contractual arrangements with its corporate suppliers. In addition to that key responsibility, Network Rail is a very large consumer in its own right.
Purchasing of utilities and the strategic management of contractual arrangements is carried out centrally by the Energy Management Team. The contracts are put in place for the whole of Network Rail to obtain economies of scale and reduce the number of contractual meetings. National contracts also allow the supplier to provide one summary bill, usually per calendar month, together with electronic back-up detail which allows costs to be allocated to Routes or Projects via Energy-Link.
The utilities contracts in place are –
| Contract | Supplier | Contract term | Annual value |
| Traction electricity | EDF Energy | 1st October 2014 – 30th September 2024 | £400m |
| Non-traction electricity | Npower | 1st April 2015 – 31st March 2020, with options to extend up to 31st March 2023 | £60m |
| Natural gas | Npower | 1st October 2016 – 30th September 2021, with options to extend up to 30th September 2024 | c. £1.5m |
| Water (England & Scotland) | Business Stream | 28th March 2018 – 27th March 2023 | c. £2.5m |
| Water (Wales) | Welsh Water | No plans to deregulate Welsh water market at present |
A detailed guidance note is provided in the right hand menu.
Key contacts:
For general enquiries, please email EnvironmentandSustainability@networkrail.co.uk
For specific enquiries, please email Alan Bullock in the Energy Management Team.