Drax Probe Closed
FCA closes investigation into Drax Group's biomass sustainability disclosures, finds no enforcement action needed.
Anonymous
Key Points
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The FCA said it opened the investigation after enquiries following Ofgem’s August 2024 conclusions on Drax’s reporting of biomass profiling data—linking the later FCA probe directly to earlier energy-regulator scrutiny.
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In explaining its approach, the FCA quoted: “Our focus was on areas within our remit, specifically whether Drax’s annual reports and accounts between 2021 and 2023 contained misleading statements or left out important information investors needed to know,” and added that “Accurate reporting is crucial to the integrity of our markets.”
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The FCA also emphasized its enforcement posture with: “Where evidence supports proportionate action, we take it. Where it does not, we close cases as swiftly as possible.”
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Drax confirmed the investigation was announced on 28 August 2025 (not just “August 2025”) and that the regulator had “no concerns warranting further investigation.”
The UK's Financial Conduct Authority has closed its investigation into Drax Group with no enforcement action, the regulator announced on June 18, 2026. The probe, which ran for nearly ten months, examined whether Drax made misleading statements in its annual reports from 2021 to 2023 about the sustainability of its Canadian biomass supplies, according to The Guardian.
The FCA said it reviewed thousands of pages of documents and interviewed company staff before concluding there was "no concerns warranting further investigation." Drax shares rose 1.2% in early London trading after the news broke, according to The Guardian.
What the FCA Actually Looked At and Found
The FCA opened its formal investigation on August 28, 2025. Its focus was narrow: did Drax's 2021–2023 annual reports break UK listing and disclosure rules? The regulator looked at company statements made between January 2022 and March 2024. "Our focus was on areas within our remit, specifically whether Drax's annual reports and accounts contained misleading statements or left out important information investors needed to know," the FCA said, as reported by Yahoo Finance UK.
The FCA stressed it acts fast when cases lack evidence. "Where evidence supports proportionate action, we take it. Where it does not, we close cases as swiftly as possible," the regulator added. Drax CEO Will Gardiner said the company "worked constructively with the FCA throughout" and was "pleased to see the investigation closed with no action being taken," according to ADVFN.
How Ofgem's 2024 Probe Triggered the FCA Investigation
The FCA inquiry grew directly out of earlier scrutiny by Ofgem, the UK energy regulator. In August 2024, Ofgem closed its own investigation into Drax's biomass profiling data. It found "technical" failures in data governance but no deliberate misreporting. Drax agreed to pay £25 million into Ofgem's redress fund as part of that settlement, according to The Guardian.
The FCA then stepped in to check whether those same issues had affected Drax's public market disclosures. The two investigations were separate — Ofgem policed energy rules, while the FCA policed market honesty. An independent audit by Forvis Mazars, launched in September 2025, found no new compliance issues as of April 2026, according to ADVFN.
Drax's Subsidy Scale and Ongoing Environmental Debate
Drax is the UK's largest renewable power generator. It supplies about 4.5% of Great Britain's total electricity and covered 19% of UK renewable power during peak demand in 2024–2025. The government paid Drax £999 million in subsidies in 2025 alone for its biomass generation, according to The Guardian. Critics have long questioned whether burning wood pellets truly counts as carbon-neutral.
Environmental groups remain skeptical despite the FCA's verdict. Campaigners at Stand.earth and Conservation North argue that legal compliance in reporting does not equal ecological sustainability. Canadian officials have cited 189 alleged environmental law infringements at Drax-owned mills since 2012. The FCA ruling only covers market disclosures — it says nothing about whether Drax's forests were managed sustainably, as Yahoo Finance UK noted.
What the Closure Means for Drax's Future Plans
The cleared investigation removes what analysts called a "regulatory overhang" that had weighed on Drax's stock and reputation. It also eases political pressure on the UK government, which has backed Drax as a provider of flexible renewable power. Drax is now pushing forward on a £548 million acquisition of Bluefield Solar Income Fund, announced June 1, 2026, according to ADVFN.
Drax still faces ongoing oversight. The company remains under a tripartite monitoring arrangement with Ofgem and Forvis Mazars for continued audits of its biomass sourcing data. That scrutiny is expected to last at least 18 more months. The FCA's decision to close the case may also set a high bar for future greenwashing cases against listed companies, analysts noted, according to Yahoo Finance UK.
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