Our recent history

While the timeline below features the major events since United Utilities was created out of the former North West Water and Norweb businesses, it all began much earlier with the building of the Thirlmere Aqueduct at the turn of the century. This is still one of the major sources of transporting water to millions of homes across the North West. 

Year	Event
1989	North West Water is privatised
1990	Norweb, the distributor and supplier of electricity in North West England, is privatised
1995	United Utilities is formed following the acquisition of Norweb
1996	The group creates the company Vertex to manage the back office functions of both its regulated utility businesses and it goes on to become a leading business process outsourcer
1996	The group establishes International Water, with global engineering partner Bechtel - major deals in Australia and the Philippines are announced
2000	United Utilities pulls out of the retail energy market and sells Norweb Energi to TXU. The group retains Norweb's electricity distribution and telecommunications businesses
2000	The group is re-structured into five core businesses and announces the phasing out of the Norweb and North West Water identities. The regulated businesses are joined at an operational level for the first time.
2000	United Utilities acquires Hyder Industrial and reinforces its market position in the industrial water and wastewater treatment sector
2001	The United Utilities brand appears on water bills, vehicles, adverts and clothing for the first time across the North West of England.
2001	United Utilities secures a major operations and maintenance contract with Welsh Water  - the first outsourced contract of its kind in the UK utility sector
2001	Norweb Telecom and its sub-brands are renamed Your Communications
2002	United Utilities wins a major metering contract from British Gas Trading
2003	First stage of the United Utilities rights issue (c. £0.5 billion raised)
2005	Second stage of the rights issue (c. £0.5 billion raised)
2005	United Utilities acquires a 15% stake in Northern Gas Networks and wins a contract to operate the gas network across the North of England, covering the North East and parts of Yorkshire, following National Grid Transco's decision to sell off some of its network
2005	The original contract with Welsh Water is renewed
2006	United Utilities disposes of Your Communications to THUS Group plc in exchange for a stake in THUS Group plc
2006	The contract with Scottish Water is renewed
2007	United Utilities disposes of Vertex as part of its strategy to focus on core utility skills
2007	The group restructures internally into an asset owner function and an asset operator function, in order to create a more commercially focused environment
2007	United Utilities completes the sale of its electricity distribution assets for an enterprise value of £1,782 million to Electricity North West. The group has a contract to manage these assets which runs through to 2015. The sale price represents net equity proceeds of £1,050 million which formed part of a £1.5 billion return to shareholders in 2008/09.
2007	United Utilities delists from the New York Stock Exchange to facilitate deregistration under the Securities and Exchange Act 1934, with the aim of reducing compliance costs. The company retains its American Depositary Shares on an unlisted basis.
2007	United Utilities disposes of its stake in THUS Group plc as part of its strategy to focus on core utility skills
2008	The metering contract with British Gas Trading is extended
2009	The group agrees the divestment of its holdings in Northern Gas Networks and Manila Water Company for c.£130 million