Thames Water has taken its battle with regulator Ofwat to the next level by appealing to the Competition and Markets Authority over how much it can charge customers.
The UK’s largest water supplier had sought approval to raise bills by up to 53% by 2030, but Ofwat capped the increase at 35%.
The company argues the regulator’s decision does not provide enough financial support for essential investment and service improvements.
Chairman Sir Adrian Montague said the appeal is necessary to ensure Thames Water can fund critical infrastructure upgrades and maintain stable operations.
Meanwhile, Thames Water is awaiting a court ruling on its financial restructuring plan, which would unlock £3 billion in emergency funding.
Without approval, it warns it could effectively run out of money by March 24.
Despite the appeal, the company insists its investment plans for 2025 will proceed without delay and customer bills will remain unchanged for now.