Utility Week articles from July 2005

Utility Week archives from July 2005

WATER; Competition code stirs up ire.(water utilities business competition)
July 1, 2005... by Lis Stedman Ofwat's access code guidance on water company regimes and pricing strategies for allowing third party use of their infrastructure has re-ignited industry dissatisfaction with unresolved problems. It was hoped that access...

MULTI-UTILITY ; Bank forecasts place Eon ahead of RWE.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... German energy giant Eon looks set to fare better in avoiding the risks arising from incoming German energy regulation and a fall in power prices in the medium term compared with compatriot and rival RWE. Investment bank Credit Suisse First...

ENERGY; Customer losses will dent profits, warns Centrica.
July 1, 2005... Customer losses of about 18,000 a week so far this year will dent British Gas profits in the second half of 2005, warned parent company Centrica last week. In a trading statement, the energy supply giant said it had lost 445,000 customers...

TELECOMS; Telefonica clears out top brass at Cesky.(Cesky Telecom)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... by Katka Krosnar Spain's Telefonica has tightened its grip on new acquisition Cesky Telecom by replacing chief executive Gabriel Berdar and the chief executive of its mobile division Eurotel, Michal Herman. Cesky's new chief executive...

WATER; Speculation grows about Sutton & East Surrey sale.(Sutton and East Surrey Water PLC)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Water regulator Ofwat has launched a consultation into the purchase of East Surrey Holdings, amid rumours that its water-only subsidiary Sutton and East Surrey Water will be stripped out after the sale and sold on by buyer Terra Firma. ...

ELECTRICITY; Denmark leaves greens to market.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The Danish government's newly proposed energy strategy up to 2025 has not given special status to wind power and renewables. Instead, the government said it would give a bigger role to market forces, letting them largely drive investment...

ELECTRICITY; Danes put e171m into east-west power link.(Ministry of Transport and Energy allocated funds for transmission networks)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... by Gerard O'Dwyer Denmark's Ministry of Transport and Energy has allocated e171 million towards building a power link to connect the transmission networks of eastern and western Denmark. The interconnector is the latest phase in the...

ENVIRONMENT; Spain the worst for rising emissions.
July 1, 2005... Spain has emerged as the worst country in the European Union for curbing carbon dioxide emissions in a study by the European Environment Agency (EEA). But the Spanish government said it was confident it would meet its carbon reduction targets...

GAS; Ofgem ends UK part of its long-running price probe.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Energy regulator Ofgem has signalled the end of the UK part of its gas prices probe with the completion of its work on contracts and the flow of gas from the Sean fields in the North Sea. The watchdog has concluded there is no reason to...

GAS; Italy's regulator sees red over data refusal.(gas import records to be disclosed to the Italy electricity agency )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... by Simon Jones Italy's energy regulator has launched an inquiry into refusals by leading gas companies to inform the authority of their import prices for natural gas. Eni, Enel, Plurigas, Energia and Dalmine Energie rejected an...

GAS; Ofgem puts back exit auctions until 2007.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... by Roger Milne Ofgem has announced a two-year delay in plans for exit auctions for customers with direct connections to the UK's gas transmission network. The prospect of the new regime, known officially as the enduring offtake...

Too many words, too many rats.(telephone boxes not in use to be lifted )
July 1, 2005... This may not be your most pressing concern, but one backbench MP has been asking the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister about its powers to remove derelict telephone boxes. The reply intrigued the great man as it was pithy and to the...

GAS; Natural fined e8m for bar to access.(Gas Natural SDG S.A.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Spain's largest gas company, Gas Natural, has been fined e8 million for hindering third-party access to its liquified natural gas (LNG)facilities. The Spanish Tribunal court ruled that Natural had abused its dominant position in the market...

TELECOMS; Magyar to get e200m loan to up broadband.(Magyar Telekom)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The European Investment Bank (EIB) is to lend up to e200 million to Hungary's main telecoms firm Magyar Telekom, helping it roll out new broadband business services and further expand its consumer broadband services. Assuming final...

ENVIRONMENT; Climate change poser for banking and insurance.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The financial sector will have to adapt to the challenges of climate change or face crippling insurance claims because of increased floods and storms, together with greater risks for asset management, a report has warned. The report,...

TELECOMS; Ireland to seek ban on masts near schools.(mobile phones usage has been banned near schools)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... An Irish government committee was this week expected to call for a ban on mobile telecoms masts close to schools, playgrounds and health centres. A Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications report will call for amended planning guidance...

ELECTRICITY; Manweb settles bias probe.(SPManweb improves customer relations)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Energy regulator Ofgem has accepted commitments by ScottishPower's SP Manweb power distribution arm to address complaints that it provided better service to its own connections operation than to independent connections firms. SPManweb...

eLECTRICITY; Home generation initiative receives a cold reception.(cogeneration schemes in households)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Companies involved in micro-generation schemes such as solar panels, roof-mounted wind turbines and domestic-scale combined heat and power (cogen) have given the government's latest initiative in this area the cold shoulder. Last week,...

WATER; Thames loses smell case to create stink for sector.(Thames Water PLC wastewater treatment court judgement)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Hounslow council has won the final court battle to rid its area of the smell from Thames Water's Mogden wastewater treatment works. The ruling this week is likely to have far-reaching implications for all similar sites. The magistrates'...

The role of carbon abatement.(Carbon Abatement Technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions)
July 1, 2005... Carbon Abatement Technology (CAT) represents a major technical option for dealing with carbon dioxide worldwide. According to a major report just published by the government, carbon capture and storage is theoretically capable of accounting for...

TELECOMS; BT escapes enforced split.(British Telecommunications)
July 1, 2005... by Zoe Grainge BT last week avoided a referral to the Competition Commission by communications regulator Ofcom after the watchdog accepted significant proposals by the operator to open its network to rivals. In an outline of the final...

PAN-UTILITY; Farming out ups share price.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Utilities that announced major outsourcing deals saw their share price outperform the sector average by 1.7 per cent over the following month, according to research by LogicaCMG. However, telecoms stocks underperformed by 1.6 per cent after an...

ELECTRICITY; New nuclear scheme 'needs public cash'.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... by Trevor Loveday Mounting speculation that a new nuclear building programme may be financed by private money was scotched this week by a leading analyst's report, which warned that any such scheme would demand public finance. In its...

WATER; Pennon boosts its waste arm with Brett buy.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... South West Water owner Pennon Group has expanded its waste management subsidiary Viridor Waste Management with the acquisition of landfill and electricity generation business Brett Waste Management for an undisclosed sum. Canterbury-based...

WATER; Ofwat consults on Portsmouth buyer.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Ofwat has started consultation on the purchase by Secondary Market Infrastructure Fund of 36 per cent of South Downs Capital, the parent of Portsmouth Water. Secondary Market, with assets worth [pounds sterling]250 million, confirmed that...

ELECTRICITY; Grid chief calls on Spain for upgrade cash.(Luis Atienza)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Spain's electricity grid operator has warned that the country needs a better system to handle power demand peaks. Record temperatures earlier this month have made loads soar. "We need to improve the demand-managing system. We have very few...

WATER; Southeast facing severe shortages.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The water industry has warned that further restrictions may be needed in the South East to preserve dwindling supplies. Since last November, there has been less than 60 per cent of normal rainfall, severely depleting the aquifers that...

ENERGY; Suppliers will keep core focus to retain customers.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Energy suppliers are likely to focus on their core products while seeking partners and non-price gambits in a bid to hang on to customers amid volatile prices over the next five years, according to a recent study. In a sketch of the energy...

Water in an enlarged Europe.(European Union membership growth )
July 1, 2005... After a decade of negotiations, what seemed impossible has become reality. On 1 May 2004, ten new countries joined the European Union. Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Cyprus and Malta are now...

MULTI-UTILITY; Spanish users bank on switching.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Nearly seven out of ten Spanish customers are willing to consider buying utility and telecoms services from their bank, according to findings from research by customer care and billing outsourcer Servista. Servista quizzed more than 1,000...

PAN-UTILITY; Bonus bonanza fails to stem staff exodus.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... by Trevor Loveday Staff retention of utility managers has "nose-dived" despite a "bonus bonanza" in the past year, according to the findings of a recent study. The survey, carried out on behalf of the Chartered Management Institute...

ELECTRICITY; Sydkraft plans e1.5bn 'storm proofing'.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Swedish power group Sydkraft has unveiled plans to invest e1.5 billion over the next five years to improve the company's electricity infrastructure, after the storms of recent years had taken their toll. About 80 per cent of the project...

WATER; Deal tightens Veolia's grip on Czech market.(Veolia Water North America Operating Services L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... French utility giant Veolia Water has won a contract to run water and sewerage services for Czech public water firm Vodovody a kanalizace Hradec Kralove (VakHK), situated 100km east of Prague. Veolia said the 30-year contract would generate...

Rising gas prices, rising profits.
July 1, 2005... Most of the broadsheets treated the announcement by British Gas (BG) that gas bills are to increase for the third time since September as a business rather than a consumer story. The Financial Times buried the news within a story about BG...

ELECTRICITY; Pan-Ireland market nearer with new plant.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... An all-island energy market for Ireland was hailed as a step closer last week after the opening of the 400MW Coolkeeragh combined cycle gas turbine plant at Campsie in Northern Ireland. The new plant is a joint venture between the...

eNVIRONMENT; Peak carbon prices greet G8.(emission trading and climate change issues in the Group of 8 summit)
July 8, 2005... by Roger Milne The price of carbon dioxide allowances under the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme reached a new high this week as the leaders of the G8 group of countries met in Gleneagles to discuss action on climate change,...

TELECOMS; Ofcom shuns call box plea.(Office of Telecommunications to scrutinize the call box services for low income households)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Communications regulator Ofcom has turned down BT's plea for help in maintaining its call boxes under the Universal Service Obligation rule in its licence. BT and Kingston Communications in Hull are obliged to provide call boxes and...

water; Benefits should help pay water bills.(water charging systems)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... WaterVoice has issued a policy statement on social tariffs calling for low-income customers to receive help via benefits and tax credits. The call echoes the Scottish Consumer Council's criticism of the dearth of provision for water payments...

ELECTRICITY; SSE and oil trio in clean plant plan.(Scottish and Southern Energy teams to build hydrogen power plants)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Scottish and Southern Energy has teamed up with oil giants BP, ConocoPhillips and Shell in a [pounds sterling]400 million scheme to build a hydrogen-fired power station near Peterhead in north Scotland. The proposed 350MW power station fuel...

ENVIRONMENT; Denmark first to strike carbon deal with Russia.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Denmark has entered into a carbon dioxide quotas purchase and investment agreement with Russia to acquire quotas equivalent to 1.2 million tonnes of carbon emissions. Denmark is the first western European country to buy from Russia's large...

ELECTRICITY; EDF's Edison takeover generates challenges.(Electricite de France)(Edison Gas S.p.A.)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... ELECTRICITY EDF's Edison takeover generates challenges by Simon Jones The takeover of Edison by Electricite de France (EDF) and AEM Milano was last week facing growing criticism in Italy. Completion of the deal has already been...

ENVIRONMENT; Bold emissions plan mooted.(environmental policy for greenhouse gas reduction and energy conservation)
July 8, 2005... by Trevor Loveday The European Union environment watchdog has claimed to have drawn up a plan whereby the EU could reduce its output of the gases that cause climate change to 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030. In a report published...

ELECTRICITY; EU trio to face second probe into markets.(European Union competition law to be reviewed)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... The European Free Trade Area (EFTA) Surveillance Authority has launched an inquiry into potential power sector competition problems in Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, mirroring a similar probe already launched in the European Union. The...

ELECTRICITY; Eurelectric maps route for pan-Europe market.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... ELECTRICITY Eurelectric maps route for pan-Europe market European power sector representative Eurelectric has hit back at the detractors of prospects for a pan-Europe power market, claiming a single, harmonised set of rules for the...

A turbine by any other name.(North British Wind Power names)
July 8, 2005... Famously, British Nuclear Fuels once changed the name of its site in Cumbria to Sellafield. It had been known as Windscale. But that was thought to be a tad inappropriate because of the, ahem, 1957 Windscale fire when a plutonium pile caught...

eNERGY; Centrica urges more open EU energy market.(Centrica PLC)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Energy giant Centrica has stepped up the pressure for more open energy markets in Europe. Last week the group's chief executive, Sir Roy Gardner, and financial director Phil Bentley met energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs to reinforce the...

ELECTRICITY; German cartel office wins fees case.(Federal Cartel Office cuts grid fee for Stadtwerke Mainz AG)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Germany's highest court has ruled in favour of anti-trust authority the Federal Cartel Office (FCO)in the latest stage of a two-year dispute between it and Stadtwerke Mainz (SWM). In April 2003, the FCO ordered SWM to cut its access fees by...

energy; EU: appliances must be more energy efficient.(European Union appliance standards)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... A new European Union directive requiring manufacturers to make household appliances more energy efficient was due to be signed this week. The Eco-Design for Energy Using Products framework directive is intended to substantially contribute...

GAS; Five men jailed in Corrib pipe route protest.(gas pipeline construction had been under dispute)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... The row over the project to secure new supplies of gas for the Irish Republic has escalated dramatically. Last week, five men were jailed after breaching a court order to stop obstructing work on the onshore pipeline, which will carry gas...

Ofcom makes access the key.(Office of Gas and Electricity Markets proposals on British Telecommunications service division)
July 8, 2005... Ofcom's 18-month-long strategic telecoms review is finally at a close. The telecoms industry has avoided a referral to the Competition Commission under the Enterprise Act, which would likely have resulted in the enforced separation of BT's...

water; Meters back on the agenda.(metering water supply to face drought)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... The drought has continued to ratchet up water supply problems, prompting environment minister Elliot Morley this week to unveil plans to make metering a more attractive option. The environment minister told The Observer newspaper that...

electricity; Micropower potential is greater, insists think-tank.(household electricity generation )(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... British Gas this week predicted that by the end of the decade nearly 200,000 households could be generating their own electricity via domestic combined heat and power (CHP) units. The energy giant's bullish assessment of the uptake of...

WATER; Mid Kent buyer gets Ofwat go-ahead.(Office of Water Services)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Ofwat's final position note after consultation on the purchase of Swan Group by a 50:50 Australian joint venture has given the acquisition a green light, with only minor caveats. Concern was voiced over the intricate ownership situation, in...

GAS; Report rubbishes exit reforms.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... by Roger Milne Plans by Ofgem to reform the UK gas market exit capacity regime have been heavily criticised in a report produced by independent economic consultants commissioned by an industry trade body the Gas Forum. The consultants...

ELECTRICITY; Support for wind slips but stays above 75 per cent.(wind power plants)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... A poll conducted last week of the UK public showed that support for wind power had slipped since the start of 2005, but remained above three-quarters of those quizzed. A survey on behalf of the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA)by...

ELECTRICITY; Eon wires plan gets okay under incentive scheme.(Central Networks licensed for connecting windpower )(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Eon UK power distribution subsidiary Central Networks has become the first company to get Ofgem's approval to fund an innovative connections project through an incentives scheme set up under the new price control. CentralNetworks will...

ELECTRICITY; Heatwave burns Spanish network.(power cuts for industrial users)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Large industrial users in Spain were this week growing anxious about the growing number of power cuts triggered by record-breaking demand on the back of a hot summer and one of the worst droughts in 58 years. Electricity grid operator REE...

WATER; Scottish bills will be third lowest in the UK.(rise in water and wastewater charges for houses)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... by Lis Stedman Draft water and wastewater charges for Scotland from 2006 to 2010 released last week by the Water Industry Commissioner would give Scottish Water customers the third-lowest bills in the UK by 2009-10. Commission chief...

WATER; SW Water guilty of sewage pollution.(South West Water PLC )(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... South West Water is facing the prospect of a heavy fine after being found guilty last week by Newton Abbot magistrates of illegally discharging sewage into the Teign Estuary at the height of the holiday season two years ago. Sentencing was...

energy; Ofgem demands three steps to billing heaven.(Office of Gas and Electricity Markets)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... by Steve Hobson Energy retailers have been given one year to introduce three key steps to reduce the level of complaints over billing in energy regulator Ofgem's response to the "super-complaint" made by consumer group Energywatch. ...

environment; Electricity vital for recovery after disaster.(flood mangement with power and communication sytems)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... A huge flood exercise has highlighted the critical role of the electricity and communications sectors, both during and in the recovery period of an extensive disaster. Exercise Triton 04 saw the Environment Agency working with more than 60...

MULTI-UTILITY; United issue bags [pounds sterling]500m.(United Utilities PLC.)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... Multi-utility United Utilities has completed the second and final stage of its rights issue, with 98.4 per cent of its eligible investors buying in, netting the firm [pounds sterling]500 million. The rights issue, intended to provide...

Global warning.(greenhouse gases control summit)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2005... The broadsheets have been awash with speculation about this week's G8 summit and the likelihood or otherwise of further international accord over climate change. On Monday, the Financial Times led with a front-page story that claimed that...

eLECTRICITY; Bids sought for Westinghouse.(Westinghouse Electric Corp.)
July 8, 2005... by Roger Milne The UK's ageing Magnox nuclear power stations turned in an operating deficit of more than [pounds sterling]100 million last year and contributed to British Nuclear Fuels' wobbly financial performance, which saw the...

Competition offers the best protection.(electric utilities management )
July 8, 2005... The decision by Ofgem not to uphold Energywatch's super-complaint is a recognition that the industry can sort out problems itself. Our track record speaks for itself. Sales complaints dropped by 75 per cent last year and complaints to...

WATER; Supplier pulls out of appeal.(Aqua Resources appeal to Severn Trent PLC)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2005... Water supplier Aqua Resources has withdrawn an appeal to the Competition Commission linked to its attempt to get common carriage access to Severn Trent Water's network. Aqua's chief executive, Ray Edmed, promised further "highly political"...

TELECOMS; Milton Keynes plan will trial smart home systems.(broadband entertainment services with fibre optic networks)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2005... National regeneration agency English Partnerships has confirmed that BT will be the technology partner for what is planned as the UK's first large-scale community to make comprehensive use of Information Communication Technology (ICT). ...

ENERGY; Four out of five industrial users try to save energy.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2005... Nearly four-fifths of organisations claim to have increased their energy efficiency in the past six months in response to rises in energy costs, according to the findings of a recent survey. Of 100 organisations surveyed by energy group RWE...

ENERGY; Advice published for appeals regime.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2005... The Competition Commission this week published rules and guidance for a new appeals system which would, for the first time, allow companies and other parties to challenge decisions by energy regulator Ofgem. Clarification of how the new...

WATER; Analysis of drinking water 'must improve'.(new regulations in the water treatment sector)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2005... by Trevor Loveday Water companies must step up "significantly" their drinking water analysis standards this year, warned chief inspector of drinking water Jeni Colbourne this week as she released the first report on company performances...

GAS; British Gas cuts off again but protects the vulnerable.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2005... British Gas has resumed disconnections for non-payers after suspending the practice for well over a year after the death of an elderly couple cut off in 2003. The energy giant insisted it will not disconnect anyone aged over 60, regardless...

ENVIRONMENT; Think-tank call for change to carbon trading.(emissions trading benchmark)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2005... Major changes are needed to the way emissions allowances are allocated under the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), claims a major report by a Brussels-based think-tank. The call came from the Centre for European Policy Studies...

ElectricitY; Denmark slates Elsam for high bills.(law violations)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2005... Denmark's National Competition Authority (NCA) has criticised the "unwarranted high electricity prices" being charged by Elsam in western Denmark. The NCA said it had found Elsam in breach of a 2003 agreement that restricted the firm's ability...

ENERGY; Five in court over law change delay.(electric utiliites regulatory compliance)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2005... The European Commission has taken five European Union member states to the Court of Justice and opened pre-court proceedings against another for failing to transpose European Union energy directives into national law. Despite receiving...

ENERGY; Regulation trio seek closer market links.(power market integration)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2005... National energy regulators from the Netherlands, Belgium and France have begun consultations on the integration of their power markets. The regulators aim to find a common approach to issues such as market transparency and cross-border...

Disappearing fish and plastic owls.(regulatory agency to work on environmental concerns)
July 15, 2005... Fishy or what? Anglers on the River Severn are complaining because the coarse fish they like to hook are deserting the river. This is apparently because the water discharged into the river from Severn Trent Water's treatment plants is, um,...

PAN-UTILITY; G8 seeks post-Kyoto action.
July 15, 2005... by Roger Milne Leaders of the eight biggest industrialised countries have started a new dialogue on climate change, which includes major developing states such as China and India and is designed to kick-start international talks on a...

GAS; Successful part float of GDF.(Gaz de France initial public offering)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2005... Investor enthusiasm for the partial flotation of Gaz de France (GDF)was marked last week as the French government made e2.5 billion and the company a further e2 billion. French finance minister Thierry Breton said the initial public...

ELECTRICITY; French export curb to boost German prices.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2005... by Simon Jones German power prices are set to climb further after France halted exports to the country in response to soaring demand in southern Europe. "At the moment, we are not receiving any power supplies from France," said an Eon...

WATER; Five-year price controls 'brew investment crises'.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2005... Five-yearly price controls are stifling long-term investment and brewing up a crisis, according to the author of a recent report on selling into the water sector. In its suppliers' guide on selling into the UKwater industry, consultancy...

ELECTRICITY; Small suppliers 'fenced out'.(protection for small suppliers in the electric sector)
July 15, 2005... by Trevor Loveday potential new entrants to the domestic electricity supply market are being fenced out by regulations that favour the big six national players, according to former electricity regulator Professor Stephen Littlechild. ...

WATER; Ofwat poised to warn on handouts to shareholders.(Office of Water Services )(Brief Article)
July 15, 2005... Water regulator Ofwat is likely to issue warnings to water companies to stick to the financing levels set under their new price controls and limit payouts to shareholders, according to investment bank Merrill Lynch. Breach of the financing...

Generation output on the rise.(electric utilities sector wise generation reports)
July 15, 2005... The total amount of electricity generated in the UK during 2003 was nearly 3 per cent up on the previous 12 months, according to the latest Electricity Industry review compiled by Electrica Services. In 2003 the generation figure was...

WATER; Ulster service court threat.(sewage discharge standards )(Brief Article)
July 15, 2005... The European Commission is expected to decide within days whether to take the government-run Water Service of Northern Ireland to the European Court of Justice over breaches of sewage discharge limits, according to environmental lobbyists...