FTSE 100 news / Companies and sectors / Utilities / 21 October 2026
Utilities: sector news on Wednesday 21 October 2026
Average tone +1.2 (neutral) across 6 companies with relevant coverage, from 45 stories.
Company by company
| Company | Tone | Stories | What the coverage was about |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Grid | −2.7 | 20 | Coverage leaned negative, with UBS keeping its sell rating and scrutiny of the £31bn transmission plan, alongside a report of failings at Neso and local outage and traffic complaints. |
| United Utilities | +1.8 | 7 | Coverage centred on United Utilities' proposed Lake Windermere sewage tunnel and wider Lake District investment pledge, alongside a GBP 1 billion resilience funding request and a university partnership. |
| SSE | +7.8 | 6 | Coverage was mainly about SSE Renewables choosing Seaway7 for foundations and cables on the Berwick Bank B offshore wind project, with nearly 500 UK jobs supported. |
| Severn Trent | −6.3 | 6 | Coverage was dominated by an Ofwat finding that a Severn Trent unit breached its duties and by wider wastewater scrutiny, which weigh on the company. |
| Centrica | +3.3 | 4 | Coverage was light and mostly neutral to mildly positive, covering analyst price targets, a new British Gas marketing campaign and the completed Spirit Energy asset sale. |
| Metlen Energy & Metals | +3.3 | 2 | Coverage was mainly an analyst price target of EUR 57 for Metlen's shares, which leans positive. |
Strongest stories in the sector
- −10.0 Ofwat finds Severn Trent unit breached duties. Severn Trent stock costs EUR 38.07 - ad-hoc-news.de
Ofwat found Severn Trent unit breached duties. - +9.2 FTSE 100 National Grid (LSE:NG.) On Track to Beat Guidance
On track to beat guidance. - +9.2 SSE Renewables Selects Seaway7 for Berwick Bank B Foundations and Cables
SSE Renewables awards major Berwick Bank B supply contract, project progressing - +9.0 SSE Taps Seaway7 for Berwick Bank B Foundations, Inter-Array Cables
SSE contracts Seaway7 for Berwick Bank B foundations and cables - +8.7 Almost 500 UK offshore wind jobs to be supported through Seaway7 agreement for SSE’s Berwick Bank B project
Berwick Bank B agreement supports jobs and project progress - −8.3 Power grid boss admits he failed to tackle culture problems
Grid boss admits culture failings; reputational negative, likely Neso. - −8.3 National Grid under fire over £31bn transmission strategy as UBS keeps ‘sell’ rating
Criticism of strategy and UBS sell rating. - −8.3 FTSE 100 Severn Trent (LSE:SVT) Faces Wastewater Scrutiny
Faces wastewater scrutiny, regulatory pressure. - +7.5 Solidus sets EUR 57 target for Metlen Energy & Metals stock - ad-hoc-news.de
Analyst sets EUR 57 price target on Metlen shares. - −7.5 National Grid faces scrutiny over £31bn transmission plan as UBS sticks with 'sell' rating
Scrutiny over plan and UBS sell rating. - +7.5 Seaway7 deal supports 465 UK wind jobs
Seaway7 deal supports UK wind jobs for SSE project - −7.0 National Grid plc : UBS maintains a Sell rating
UBS maintains Sell rating.