Utilities

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The utility sector covers electricity, gas, water and, increasingly, waste management. The sector’s goal is to provide safe, affordable power and water, with a backdrop of high global energy prices and increasing concerns about the environment. There’s major investment in both generation and transmission, so there’s a lot of work. Many of the UK’s power stations and transmission lines were built in the 1960s and 70s and are coming to the end of their life, while the water sector is spending billions to upgrade and repair Victorian water pipes. The sector includes manufacturing organisations and consultancies, as well as the typical water and power companies. There are also the service and maintenance organisations, as well as a range of regulatory bodies.

Trends and developments in the utilities sector

Global warming and renewable energy targets regularly feature in the headlines. The sector is increasing the amount of energy derived from renewable sources, while carbon dioxide capture and sequestration (CCS) could mitigate global warming by preventing the release of CO2 into the atmosphere. The debates on nuclear and biomass power continue. The opening of new liquefied natural gas terminals in the UK will improve the security of supply of natural gas. As fuel prices rise, there’s a risk that more people will live in ‘fuel poverty’, spending more than ten per cent of their income on fuel. Generators and suppliers are often blamed for rising fuel prices, but there is simply an increased global demand for fuel.

What it’s like working in utilities

The sector is facing enormous challenges and is tightly regulated in terms of emissions compliance, which drives innovation. Engineers might work in a small team of three to ten, or on a large project within a very large team. It may take six or seven years for a new power station to go from consent to use – but many projects involve upgrades and ongoing maintenance.

Getting a graduate job in utilities

You’ll need solid engineering skills, numeracy and teamwork ability. Literacy and communication skills are vital: you need to be able to communicate succinctly and precisely both in written and verbal forms. Graduates will spend time in various aspects of the business, including design offices, power stations and, in the gas sector, off-shore. You can choose to pursue a specialist role with a technical focus or take the management path. It’s not necessary to commit at the start of your career: for managerial positions it’s beneficial to have worked in a range of roles.

The highlights of a career in utilities

• Fuel and CO2 present global challenges, and engineers and scientists will be part of the solution.
• It’s rewarding to work with knowledgeable people – there’s a lot of talent within the sector.
• Work in the sector – and engineering as a whole – is increasingly well rewarded!

The utilities industry seeks graduates in...

• Aerospace/aeronautical
• Chemical
• Civil/structural
• Control
• Electrical
• Electronics
• Environmental
• Instruments
• Manufacturing
• Materials
• Mathematics
• Mechanical
• Physics
• Power systems
• Software

Always check individual employers’ requirements.

Mike Evans, FIMechE MCMI, is the director of technology at RWE npower. He has a BSc in mechanical engineering from City University (1977) and an MBA from the University of Hull (2003), and 37 years’ experience in the sector.