Utility Week articles from July 2008

Utility Week archives from July 2008

waterOfwat holds firm on lower capital cost.(News)(United Kingdom. Office of Water Services)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... by Steven Hobson Water regulator Ofwat looks likely to set a cost of capital in 2009 significantly below that in the 2004 periodic price review. Ofwat chief executive Regina Finn told Utility Week that, despite the credit crunch, the...

Case closed?(Features)(Severn Trent PLC fined [pounds sterling]2m for 'dishonesty' )
July 11, 2008... Last week Severn Trent was fined [pounds sterling]2m for 'dishonesty' . Former MD Brian Duckworth says justice has not been served Last week, Severn Trent Water was fined [pounds sterling]2 million, having pleaded guilty to two charges of...

News.(Southern Water PLC fined [pounds sterling]4,000)(Boris Johnson announces plans for ten high-tech 'Low Carbon Zones')(EDF Energy reports that one in three people would be put off a job if their employer had low environmental standards)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Southern Water Southern Water was fined [pounds sterling]4,000 plus costs of [pounds sterling]845 by Lewes Magistrates' Court after a sewage leak from the Old Barcome Cross treatment works. The cause was a blockage of fat and debris. ...

GASCentrica to drillfor coal-bed gas in Wales.(News)
July 11, 2008... Centrica has signalled plans to drill for gas in the coal beds of south Wales now it has secured interests in three licences as part of the government's latest onshore oil and gas licensing round. The company, which is the parent of British...

News.(Eaga Partnership contracts with Scottish Power PLC)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Green deal: environmental support services company Eaga has clinched a ground-breaking partnership with ScottishPower worth over [pounds sterling]200 million. Under the initiative the Glasgow-based energy utility will outsource all its Carbon...

electricityFunds target Danish wind sector.(Features)(Doughty Hanson & Company Ltd. acquires Svendborg Brakes)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Doughty Hanson's [euro]460 million acquisition of Svendborg Brakes has triggered speculation about further acquisitions by international capital funds in Denmark, with Vestas regarded as a possible target. Svendborg Brakes manufactures...

Features.(Calendar)
July 11, 2008... THE 11 July British Water annual charity golf day, Wiltshire 14 July The Environmental Audit Committee will publish its progress report on making government operations sustainable 15 July First reading of Planning...

ENERGYConsumers get breather on doorsteppers.(News)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... New regulations on doorstep selling that will give all customers a seven-day "cooling off" period have been approved by Parliament and will come into effect on 1 October. In the past, customers had a right to change their minds during a...

Features.(plans to include the aviation industry in the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Flight plan: the European Parliament was due to vote this week on plans to include the aviation industry in the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). In one of its last moves before France took over the helm, the Slovenian presidency...

ENERGYEnel and Acciona at odds over Endesa.(Features)(Acciona S.A. likely to sell its 25 per cent stake in Endesa S.A.)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... by Simon Jones Italy's Enel and its Spanish ally Acciona are reportedly at odds over the running of Endesa, Spain's biggest energy supplier. Last year the two companies bought Endesa for [euro]42 billion in a bitter takeover battle with...

ENERGYGovernment under fire on energy efficiency.(News)
July 11, 2008... The government has been strong on rhetoric but has delivered little on energy efficiency in the past year, a group of energy efficiency and environmental organisations has said. The group, which included WWF, the National Energy Foundation...

ENERGYBalkans and Europe align disputes rules.(Features)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... A European Union and Balkans ministerial council has approved the rules of a disputes settlement mechanism for countries in the southeast Europe energy community. This links Balkan electricity and gas regulation with that of EU member states...

Features.
July 11, 2008... Merger cleared Bulgaria's cartel authority has cleared the creation of a single gas and electricity giant from five state-run firms. Bulgarian Energy Holding will include the assets of the country's grid operator, the Kozloduy nuclear...

Dubya destined to be famous.(News)(Nuclear Decommissioning Authority )
July 11, 2008... Earlier this year Disconnector noted that there were moves afoot to rename one of San Francisco's largest sewage works after soon to be ex-US president George W Bush. In November, alongside casting their ballot for the next president, the...

News.
July 11, 2008... On song: the water company Land Rover in our pic has been donated by Northumbrian Water for an epic charity rally from the UK to Mongolia to raise money for WaterAid. Former Durham Chorister School chorister Mike Griffin (pictured at his alma...

News.
July 11, 2008... Huggy Bear: bit of a trailblazer, this. Pictured is Lauren Johnson from Haslucks Green Junior School, the first in the West Midlands to enrol in Npower's Climate Cop Academy, which inspires schoolkids to save energy. Also shown is mascot...

Features.
July 11, 2008... ELECTRICITY Finland sets itself bold wind target The Finnish government has proposed an ambitious state-backed programme to build 2GW of wind power capacity by 2020. The plan is tied to private energy sector involvement, and a more...

Be prepared.(Features)
July 11, 2008... Business continuity planning is important for most companies, but for utilities running vital infrastructure it is essential, says Ron Miller Environmental factors have always been a consideration for companies when creating their business...

ENVIRONMENTG8 supports CCS and halving CO2 by 2050.(News)
July 11, 2008... by Roger Milne Leaders of the G8 nations, including prime minister Gordon Brown, this week strongly backed the building of 20 large-scale demonstration carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects worldwide by the end of the decade and the...

ELECTRICITYInterconnector upgrade will match demand.(News)(transmission network companies in France and the UK agrees to upgrade the interconnector between the two countries at a cost of [pounds sterling]56 million)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Transmission network companies in France and the UK have agreed to upgrade the interconnector between the two countries at a cost of [pounds sterling]56 million. National Grid and RTE said the upgrade would involve replacing valves in the...

Where there's muck.(Features)
July 11, 2008... Landfill gas is used as a renewable fuel in Italy and the UK, but in the future companies are looking to waste to energy, writes Janet Wood Where there's muck, there's a business opportunity, to misquote the proverb. In Italy, a company...

Features.(No benefit in prosecuting Severn Trent PLC directors)
July 11, 2008... No benefit in prosecuting Severn Trent's directors At the Old Bailey last month Andrew Edis QC, prosecuting for the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), told the court that no individuals would be prosecuted as a result of the SFO's investigation...

Wics puts the record straight.(News)(Letter to the editor)
July 11, 2008... Sir: I am disappointed at the lapse in Utility Week's usually high standard that is evident in the 27 June 2008 issue. Contrary to comments attributed to me in your magazine, we have not and would not consider auctioning customers when...

News.(Scottish Power PLC signs contract with Scottish Coal Company Ltd.)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Coal contract: ScottishPower has signed a five-year supply contract with Scottish Coal for fuel for its two coal-fired plants, Longannet (pictured) and Cockenzie. The deal could be worth up to [pounds sterling]700*million and represents...

Winter '08 gas price peaks.(Features)
July 11, 2008... Winter '08 gas priced through the National Balancing Point (NBP) has broken through the 100p per therm mark for the first time and traded up to 105p/th (on 12 June), according to ICIS-Heren's European Gas Market publication. Oil was again...

GASOfgem plans to curb gas grid methane leaks.(News)
July 11, 2008... Ofgem has unveiled its final proposals for an incentive scheme for to encourage National Grid Gas, the UK's high-pressure national transmission system operator, to cut methane emissions. Currently NGG vents about 2,000 tonnes of natural gas...

ELECTRICITYNetwork firms act ahead of unbundling.(Features)
July 11, 2008... Endesa: Enel rumoured to be making a bid for full control Smoke signals: consensus growing for massive carbon cuts European transmission network operators (TSOs) have signed an agreement key to implementing the European Commission's...

Features.
July 11, 2008... ELECTRICITY Nuclear may split German coalition The future of nuclear power is again destabilising Germany's coalition government, with the Social Democrats pushing for a new nuclear tax and chancellor Angela Merkel urging her coalition...

GASProduction spend falling.(News)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Last year, Britain's offshore energy industry spent [pounds sterling]4.9 billion bringing new oil and gas fields into production, [pounds sterling]600 million less than in 2006. The trend has worried trade body Oil & Gas UK, whose latest...

ENERGYDeadline extended for complaints.(News)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Energy companies will have three extra months to prepare to implement new complaints-handling standards, but they must ensure they are fully effective from the new start date of 1October, Ofgem has announced. The new standards, which will...

Chain reaction.(Features)
July 11, 2008... When it comes to RPI-X productivity targets, is it reasonable to assume that utilities should outperform the rest of the economy, asks Phil Burns? There is a growing awareness in the UK both among regulators and the companies they oversee...

News.
July 11, 2008... In an occasional series, managers discuss the challenges of recruiting and retaining utility employees while new starters give their first impressions Stephen Burgin, Alstom UK country president, joined the company as an apprentice in...

More heat than light in debate.(Features)
July 11, 2008... Parliamentarians remain busy with energy and climate change issues - as does the PM There's no let-up in parliamentary scrutiny of energy policy at the moment. This week peers were due to grill Ofgem chief executive Alistair Buchanan on...

ENERGYMarket inquiry will probe Welsh prices.(News)(United Kingdom. Office of Gas and Electricity Markets investigating energy prices)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... by Roger Milne Ofgem has confirmed that the Welsh Assembly Government has asked it to examine claims that consumers in Wales pay over the odds for domestic electricity compared with other parts of the UK. The watchdog is currently...

News.(Scottish Water PLC)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Royal visit: the Queen and Prince Philip performed the official opening of Scottish Water's Milngavie water treatment works last week. The royal party was shown around by Gus Watt, Scottish Water's project manager for the [pounds sterling]120...

eLECTRICITYGerman grids expand to support windfarms.(Features)
July 11, 2008... by Simon Jones Leading German suppliers RWE and Vattenfall Europe have announced plans for grid investments of more than [euro]5.5 billion to 2010. Spending is focused on wind power, with new lines needed to connect windfarms, mostly...

Water Ofwat confirms [pounds sterling]35.8m fine for Severn Trent.(News)(Severn Trent PLC)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Ofwat last week confirmed that it would fine Severn Trent [pounds sterling]35.8*million for reporting false customer service information, and for poor service. The watchdog's chief executive Regina Finn said: "This sends a clear message to...

water Sepa 'should take lead flooding role'.(News)
July 11, 2008... The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) should oversee the implementation of the Floods Directive in Scotland, according to a Scottish Government consultation. Under the proposed two-tier system, Sepa would be the competent...

News.(Severn Trent Water Ltd. lies about its leakage levels )
July 11, 2008... What the prosecution said: The prosecution alleged that Severn Trent Water lied about its leakage levels in 2001 and 2002 in order to delay disclosure of the best estimate figure. The company reported levels of 340 megalitres per day, when...

Features.(food price inflation )
July 11, 2008... No longer taken for granted Food, like land and water, has been taken for granted for too long. An apparent abundance of food and our ability to use technical fixes when shortages occur, combined with increasing affluence, has made...

waterStandards rise at Southern but profits tumble.(News)(Southern Water PLC)(Financial report)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... Pre-tax profit at Southern Water has dropped by [pounds sterling]33.5 million in the same year that the company reduced the number of environmental incidents by half and achieved the lowest leakage per property in the country. Pre-tax...

ELECTRICITYHardware shortages threaten green target.(News)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... by Janet Wood The UK could fall short of its 2020 renewable energy target because of bottlenecks in the supply chain, according to an analysis published with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's renewable energy...

News.(standards for tree cutting )(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... ELECTRICITY Tree cutting gets January deadline Energy regulator Ofgem has said it expects electricity network operators to meet new standards for tree cutting around overhead lines by the end of January 2009. Putting in place a policy...

Waste not, want not.(Features )(Colin Drummond of Viridor Waste)
July 11, 2008... Viridor Waste Management's chief executive Colin Drummond talks to Steve Hobson about the huge potential of energy from waste Founded in 1956 and acquired by South West Water (now Pennon Group plc) in 1993, Viridor Waste Management is one...

WaterRenewables incomemust be ring-fenced.(News)(Brief article)
July 11, 2008... by Annabel Andrews Some water companies are not following accounting guidelines covering the way they treat renewable energy they generate, according to regulator Ofwat. A spokesman for Ofwat said a small number of companies were not...

News.(Ofgem)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... ENERGY Ofgem takes action on green tariffs Energy regulator Ofgem wants to set a deadline of September for suppliers to apply a new verification system to their green tariffs. The regulator has acted in response to calls for it to...

ELECTRICITYOffshore supergrid takes shapes on the horizon.(News)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... Ambitious plans for an integrated European energy infrastructure might climb off the drawing board sooner than expected, former Airtricity chief executive Eddie Connor insisted in London last week. Connor has for some years been promoting...

News.(Airtricity plans to win share of the Irish domestic energy supply market)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... ENERGY Irish consumers to get Airtricity offer Airtricity has announced plans to win a significant share of the Irish domestic energy supply market, two years after the Irish company pulled out of the consumer supply market. The...

News.
July 18, 2008... Wood burner Eon UK has won planning approval from Sheffield City Council for a 25MW power station fuelled by waste wood at Blackburn Meadows. Construction could begin next year with commercial operation in 2011. Sewage award A...

ELECTRICITYSpanish firms face blackout fines.(Features)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... The Catalan government has proposed fines of up to [euro]21 million for two of Spain's biggest energy utility companies over a 2007 blackout, but the suppliers are expected to dispute the penalties. Red Electrica faces a fine of up to...

PAN-UTILITYAnaerobic digestion summit held.(News)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... The government was due to hold a high-level meeting in Whitehall this week aimed at kick-starting anaerobic digestion (AD) projects. The "summit" was timetabled for Wednesday and was expected to bring together representatives from the...

ELECTRICITYEmbedded generation contributed to outage.(News)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... by Janet Wood Small power generating plants connected to the distribution network were a major factor in the 23 May blackout that left parts of the country without power for several hours, National Grid believes. The incident began...

PAN-UTILITYTougher planning regime urged for hazard sites.(News)
July 18, 2008... A major shake-up in planning controls around major hazard sites has been urged this week by the independent investigation board set up in the wake of the explosions and fires that rocked the Buncefield fuel depot in Hertfordshire in December...

WATERCamden wins lower bills for tenants.(News)
July 18, 2008... A London council has helped thousands of its tenants reduce their water bills by a total of [pounds sterling]1.7 million as a result of an initiative involving Thames Water. Camden Council persuaded the water company to carry out a survey...

LNG could meet 30% of UK demand by 2015.(News)
July 18, 2008... By 2015 up to 30 per cent of UK gas demand could be met by supplies of imported liquefied natural gas, according to Simon Bonini, Centrica's LNG director. That level of LNG imports would imply almost one shipment a day, the energy industry...

GASCentrica buys gas interests in Norway.(News)(Marathon Oil Co.)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... Centrica has bought its first Norwegian gas-producing interests. The announcement followed the news that it had reached agreement to acquire interests in a package of non-operating gas and oil assets in Norway for [pounds sterling]190million....

News.(water utilities)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... Competition would drive up the cost of capital, says Moody's Competition in the water industry risks driving up the sector's cost of capital, rating agency Moody's warned last week. Monica Merli, senior vice president of the company's...

News.(Anglian Water PLC)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... Caught on the hop: Anglian Water has traced the source of a cryptosporidium outbreak last month to a small rabbit, which gained access to the water treatment process at Pitsford via an ancillary tank. Peter Simpson, Anglian Water's chief...

ELECTRICITYPrice hike looms for Nordic area.(Features)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... The rising operating costs of Denmark's coal-fired power plants could add up to 5 per cent to Nordic electricity prices over the peak winter months, according to energy forecasts in Denmark, and a report from Sweden's Department of Energy...

ENERGYRegular payers 'racking up debt' as prices rise.(News)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... Citizens Advice has warned that energy customers are racking up utility debt without being aware of it, despite paying by direct debit. Tony Herbert, senior policy adviser at Citizens Advice, said people did not realise how much gas and...

Features.(Brief article)(Calendar)
July 18, 2008... THE 18 July Deadline for consultation on Ofgem's user commitment for new and existing generators impact assessment 20-25 July 10th World Renewable Energy Congress & Exhibition, Glasgow 22 July Parliament adjourns for...

ENERGYEU energy imports still increasing.(Features)
July 18, 2008... The increasing dependence of the European Union on energy imports has been made clear in a new Eurostat report. The EU's statistical agency said net imports into the EU increased by 2.4 per cent in 2006, with overall energy dependence from...

Features.
July 18, 2008... IN BRIEF Ireland in the dock Ireland has been censured by the European Court of Justice for failing to subject windfarms to environmental impact assessments. Judges made the ruling over a windfarm in Derrybrien, County Galway. ...

Who's telling the truth, old salt?(News)(energy industry)
July 18, 2008... Bruised but unbowed, energy company Canatxx UK has returned to the fray and is due to submit a revised application for a huge underground gas storage scheme in Preesall, near Fleetwood on the Lancashire coast. Its original plan earned the...

News.(sponsorship deal between Python RT and SmartestEnergy)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... Green wheels: top UK amateur cycling team Python RT have won a sponsorship deal from SmartestEnergy. The two-wheelers (largely based in the Thames Valley and northern Home Counties) have already won six road-races this year. The energy company...

News.(Anglian Water PLC)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... Water noise? Anglian Water has commissioned the world's only brass quintet playing instruments made from genuine blue water pipes to undertake a series of education workshops on its patch to encourage music-making and water conservation. The...

Clear thinking.(Features)
July 18, 2008... Jo Lambert and Andy Drinkwater look at what can be done to prevent fats, oils and greases from blocking sewers Fats, oils and greases (FOG) are a major cause of problems for sewerage undertakers, as well as their customers. Sewerage...

Features.
July 18, 2008... gas GdF and Acea team up for storage Gaz de France (GdF) and Rome group Acea have agreed a joint venture with Gas Plus to develop gas storage in Italy's Marche region. With potential capacity of 500 million cubic metres, the...

Features.
July 18, 2008... Sun screen: a 183,000 sq m photovoltaic array is being installed at a General Motors factory in Zaragoza, Spain. To be operated by Veolia Environnement and Clairvoyant Energy, with regional government support, it is expected to generate 15GWh...

GASParliament softens stance on unbundling.(Features)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... by Keith Nuttall The European Parliament has declared it is ready to compromise over unbundling Europe's gas networks, backing a Council of Ministers deal that would allow large gas utilities to continue owning transmission networks. ...

EnergyGermany's networks granted higher return.(Features)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... by Simon Jones Germany's energy regulator has increased the allowed rate of return for power network operators from 2009. Under initial proposals, the Federal Network Agency (FNA) had threatened to trim next year's allowable return for...

News.(government departments takes efforts to reduce their own carbon emissions )(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... ENERGY Government 'failing on green targets' A committee of MPs has blasted government departments because their efforts to reduce their own carbon emissions have "remained very poor overall". The cross-party Environmental Audit...

eNERGYPlanning reform essential for new energy infrastructure.(News)
July 18, 2008... by Roger Milne Planning reforms are crucial to meeting the government's new green energy target for 2020, but will also be critical as the UK faces up to a major change in the balance of gas imports and exports, an energy industry meeting...

Features.(energy sector is making investment in new infrastructures)
July 18, 2008... The energy revolution is waiting for Tory clarity The UK energy sector is facing an almost unparalleled set of challenges at present. Billions of pounds of investment in new infrastructure are taking shape on the drawing board. These...

Energy-saving targets nailed.(Features)
July 18, 2008... For the past 14 years, the government has required energy suppliers to meet energy-saving targets by promoting approved energy-saving measures to households. The measures include insulation, low-energy light bulbs and high-efficiency appliances...

Features.
July 18, 2008... PAN-UTILITY PRI's Richard St Clair explains why smart metering needs evolution rather than a revolution to kick-start deployment PAN-UTILITY How cyber-criminals are putting essential utility computer networks at risk ENERGY...

News.(Ben Newby of Serco Co.)(Interview)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... What was your first ever job? I first did a paper round. While I was at school I had a job erecting marquees, and when I was at university I worked in technical support for BT. What are the best and worst parts of your job? The...

ELECTRICITYUnderground cabling 'less reliable'.(News)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... Overhead electricity transmission lines are cheaper to install and result in fewer outages than underground cabling, according to a study commissioned by the Republic of Ireland government. The study was commissioned by the Irish Department...

Claims and counterclaims.(Features)
July 18, 2008... The PM promises international action on energy efficiency the Tories demand more green taxes This week, ministers will have a chance to gauge whether recent amendments strengthening parliamentary involvement in the proposed new planning...

Features.
July 18, 2008... GAS Hungary seeks links with neighbours The Hungarian and Romanian governments have agreed to connect their gas networks in a move hailed by the European Commission as important for the security of eastern Europe energy supplies. ...

News.(Marine Bill)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... ENERGY Scots to fast-track offshore projects A single organisation should be responsible for securing offshore economic growth and safeguarding the marine environment around Scotland, the Scottish Government has proposed. Plans...

ELECTRICITY'Parent body' to take on Sellafield cleanup.(News)(Amec and Areva)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... by Janet Wood Nuclear Management Partners, a joint venture between URS Washington Division, Amec and Areva, has been named preferred bidder by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority for the UK's largest nuclear contract. The contract,...

ELECTRICITYWicks denies barrage project is a done deal.(News)(Brief article)
July 18, 2008... by Roger Milne The government has promised Parliament that if preliminary findings from an economic feasibility study into a Severn Barrage reveal any "show stoppers", the more detailed assessment will be scrapped and the project...

Playing it safe.(Features)
July 18, 2008... Where possible, water firms use remote methods of finding out what lies underground to avoid risk to sewer workers, says Cathryn Bullimore UK sewage workers may often work in 19th century sewers, but their employers are taking a very 21st...