Labour is taking action to address the serious issues with the Pimlico District Heating Undertaking (PDHU) and to secure a reliable, affordable replacement that reduces your energy bills.
No decision has been taken on which option should replace the PDHU and no costs have been confirmed. Labour councillors know that the Council needs to do more to work with the local community. We want to work with you on this major project and hear from you.
When a decision is taken in 2027, Labour will support whichever option is cheapest overall and will minimise disruption to residents.
The Problems with the PDHU Today
The 70-year-old PDHU is the oldest district heating network in the UK and is well beyond its design life. Years of neglect by the previous Conservative administration has made the system unreliable and increasingly expensive to maintain.
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Soaring service charges – the Council is spending millions each year to repair burst pipes and leaks which cause misery and higher service charge bills for residents.
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High energy bills – flats connected to the PDHU lack individual metering. Residents do not pay for the energy they use, leading to higher energy bills.
This is unsustainable. Failing to act will lead to ever higher service charges, higher major works bills, higher energy bills, and more disruption due to burst pipes and leaks.
Finding a Sensible Solution
A Labour Council will deliver a heating and hot water system which is affordable, reliable, and involves the individual metering of flats. We want residents to only pay for the energy they use and keep energy bills as low as possible. No final decision has been taken on the option to replace the PDHU, and no costs have been confirmed. The Labour Council wants to work with local residents on a solution.
This is a technically complex project and the Council is working with technical specialists to identify the least disruptive and lowest cost option for residents.
The shortlisted options include:
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Installing individual electric boilers and moving away from communal heating.
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Replacing the ageing pipe network, while retaining the current gas boilers.
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Replacing the ageing pipe network and installing a new heat source (e.g. a heat pump).
The Council will confirm the preferred option in 2027, following detailed analysis and continued engagement with residents. There will be more opportunities for all residents to find out more about this major project, ask questions and get answers.
Reducing the Impact on You
Everyone would benefit from a modern heating system – lower energy bills, individual metering of flats, fewer burst pipes and leaks, and a more reliable heating supply.
The Council directly owns approximately half of the flats connected to the PDHU and has a direct interest in implementing the lowest-cost and least disruptive option.
That is why the Labour Council is:
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Exploring Government grants to bring the costs down.
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Assessing if parts of the existing infrastructure can be retained.
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Finding ways to minimise disruption for residents.
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Committed to offering generous support to leaseholders.
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Committed to choosing the most affordable option.
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Consulting with residents ahead of next year’s decision.
Council and social housing tenants, and private renters, will not be directly liable for any infrastructure upgrade costs. While any replacement of the PDHU will involve costs for leaseholders, and we recognise many have understandable concerns, Labour are clear that no costs have been confirmed as experts work to find the best and most affordable solution. So don’t believe the scare stories out there.
Labour is taking an evidence-led approach to replacing the current outdated, expensive, and unreliable system, with an option which delivers cheaper bills and individual metering. Labour wants to work with residents on the future of the PDHU.
The Conservatives are promising simplistic solutions, having ignored the problem for years.
Failing to act on the PDHU will lead to higher energy bills, higher service charges, higher major works bills, and more maintenance issues for many more years.