Utility Week articles from June 2003

Utility Week archives from June 2003

ELECTRICITY; British Energy wipes [pounds sterling]4bn from asset value.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... by Roger Milne Troubled generator British Energy this week posted a swingeing [pounds sterling]4.3 billion pre-tax loss for the past 12 months, driven largely by a [pounds sterling]3.6 billion write-down in the value of its nuclear assets...

GAS; BG signs deal for Tunisian power plant.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... BG Group has reached agreement with the Tunisian government on plans to build a combined cycle gas turbine station. The [pounds sterling]156 million, 500MW Barca Power Project in Sfax will be located close to the group's Hannibal processing...

WATER; Bristol stashes cash and keeps market guessing.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Bristol Water last week had the market guessing about its next move when it unveiled details of a balance sheet refinancing initiative that would give it reserves for an acquisition or special dividend. The company has raised [pounds...

TELECOMS; UK broadband blossoming.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... The UK generated Europe's largest increase in broadband internet use during the 13 months from April 2002 to April 2003, according to research from Nielsen/Net Ratings. The number of Europeans using high-speed internet services grew by 136...

ELECTRICITY; Czech state seeks to sell whole CEZ stake.
June 6, 2003... by Mark Andress The Czech ministry of industry has opted to sell the state's 67 per cent stake in power firm CEZ as a whole to avoid complications of mixed shareholders. But a partial flotation was not ruled out. The future of the...

electricity; Generation heading for boom and bust.
June 6, 2003... by Trevor Dooley European power markets are heading for boom and bust power price cycles that could result in capacity crises of the sort seen in California in 1999, which nearly drove some companies into bankruptcy, according to the...

PAN-UTILITY; British Gas is worst in UK to handle gripes.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Utilities were ranked fifth out of eight industry categories for complaints handling, with British Gas the worst organisation in the country, says a new survey. The third National Complaints Culture Survey from people development firm TMI...

GAS; RWE sets up Czech market reshuffle.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... One year after RWE Gas acquired much of the Czech gas sector, the German utility's board chairman Klaus Homann last week said the focus now was to implement new management structures. At general meetings this month (June), RWE Gas will...

telecoms; Deutsche Telekom faces new probe.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... German telecoms regulator RegTP is investigating Deutsche Telekom for possible anti-competitive practices over the resale of its services and products. The probe followed a complaint by Tele 2 Germany that clauses in a draft contract with its...

MULTI-UTILITIES; Water minnow reveals [pounds sterling]31m cash reserves.(East Surrey Holdings)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... East Surrey Holdings has revealed it has [pounds sterling]30.9 million available to develop its regulated infrastructure portfolio. It reported a cash balance of [pounds sterling]68.8 million but has committed [pounds sterling]37.9 million...

ENERGY; EdF eyes next move in Benelux push.(Electricite de France to increase holding in SPE)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Acquisitive French power giant Electricite de France (EdF) plans to increase its holding in Belgian generator SPE from 10 per cent to 49 per cent. The deal will only be signed when SPE completes its agreed separation from Electrabel - not...

WATER; Hungary clears a path for privatisation run.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... by Karma Ockenden Hungary is to legislate to make it easier for private players to enter and expand in its water market. The Hungarian cabinet said it would introduce a Bill to parliament next year that would clarify and rationalise...

GAS; Pipes sell-off prompts exit regime rethink.(Ofgem)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Ofgem has signalled that proposed changes to the gas exit capacity regime will now be dealt with as part of the wider regulatory assessment of National Grid Transco's intention to sell individual gas distribution networks, its so-called Local...

telecoms; Competition under fire in Ireland.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... A row has broken out between the Irish Republic's competition authority and telecoms company Eircom over the operator's efficiency and the progress of competition in telecoms. John Fingleton, chairman of the Republic's Competition...

ELECTRICITY; EGL to build 2GW of plant in southern Italy.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Italian-Swiss joint venture EGL Italia is to build three plants with 2,000MW total capacity in southern Italy. The first 800MW plant near Caserta should be operating by 2006. A second 400MW facility in Bari will be built jointly with...

Trust me, I'm a grocer.(bundled services)
June 6, 2003... Having billing relationships with 25 million households in Britain, energy and water utilities have been thought for some time to be in the best position to cross-sell other services for the home. But as our feature on page 22 points out,...

TELECOMS; Czech Republic opens up local lines.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... The Czech parliament passed a draft law last week for the unbundling of the country's local telecoms networks on 1 July. Dominant operator Cesky Telecom will be required to give rivals access to the local loop to facilitate competition in...

Suppliers reduce mis-selling.(industry briefs)
June 6, 2003... UK domestic energy suppliers have set themselves a target of reducing complaints about mis-selling to an industry average of less than 1 per 1,000 transfers by August this year. The industry absolute total of selling complaints has shown a...

ELECTRICITY; Objectors lash lignite power plant project.(in Northern Ireland)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Plans for Britain's first lignite-fired power station, fuelled by opencast reserves in Northern Ireland, reach a crucial stage later this month. The environmental assessment for the [pounds sterling]500 million project has been submitted...

WATER; Ulster staff may strike over reforms.(Northern Ireland Water Service)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Water Service workers in Northern Ireland protested last week about radical proposals to reform the state-owned body. A union delegation took a letter to prime minister Tony Blair setting out opposition to the proposals. It acknowledged the...

ENERGY; Spain's regulator delivers second blow to Natural.(Gas Natural appeal thrown out)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... In another blow to Spanish gas giant Gas Natural, Spain has thrown out an appeal filed by the company requesting that it intervene in the energy watchdog's decision to force gas distributor Enagas to give Iberdrola access to its infrastructure....

TELECOMS; Mobiles keep their customers sweet.(Orange, Vodafone rank high in customer satisfaction)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Mobile phone operators Orange and Vodafone have topped a customer satisfaction study, showing improved brand image and customer awareness in the UK. In the findings from the 2003 UK Mobile Telephone Customer Satisfaction Study by market...

WATER; 'Radical' review needed to lift equity.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Regulation guru Dieter Helm has urged water regulator Ofwat to take 'a radical and bold' approach to the next price review to encourage an equity revival, or face the perils of underinvestment and spiralling prices. In a new publication...

ENERGY ; Parliament does U-turn on supply/network split.(European Parliament)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Vertically integrated companies that supply gas and electricity will not be required to separate and sell-off transmission subsidiaries under a compromise plan expected to be agreed by the European Parliament this week. The Parliament had...

WATER; Pennon warns of [pounds sterling]3m; pension deficit threat.
June 6, 2003... by Karma Ockenden Pennon Group faces a [pounds sterling]3 million hit on its profits next year because of pension fund problems, the company warned when it released its results for the year to 31 March 2003. The group said its pension...

MP's energy Bill poses problems.
June 6, 2003... The Palace of Westminster is back in full swing after the Whitsun recess. European issues may dominate the headlines but energy issues remain a major talking point among backbenchers. This week, after Utility Week goes to press, MPs will...

WATER; Premises ruling has a serious whiff.(sewage treatment works)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... In a ground-breaking decision, the High Court has ruled that sewage treatment works are 'premises' under the terms of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, in a legal battle over the smell from a London works. The decision cuts across a...

ENERGY; RegTP lined up to add energy to telecoms.(Germany)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... by Simon Jones Germany's ministry for economics and labour (BMWA) wants the country's telecoms regulator, RegTP, to regulate Germany's energy sector. BMWA minister Wolfgang Clement said such a move would be a cost-neutral and...

ENERGY; OMV ups links with Libya.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Austrian energy producer OMV and Spain's Repsol have signed an agreement with the National Oil Corporation of Libya for onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration licences in the northern areas of Murzuq, Surt and the Kafra basin. The...

ELECTRICITY; Generators 'baffled' by TXU bill call.(Ofgem proposes that power industry should pay for AES Drax power)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Generators this week said they were 'baffled' by Ofgem's 'unprecedented' proposal that the power industry should pick up the [pounds sterling]5 million-plus bill for power bought from AES Drax to cover loss of capacity after the collapse of TXU...

WATER; Scots to put total ban on common carriage.
June 6, 2003... by Karma Ockenden Scotland has proposed slamming the door on water competition more firmly than England and Wales. As part of its legislative programme outlined last week, the Scottish Executive announced its intention to bring in a...

ENERGY; Storm brewing over Highlands hydro scheme.(Mountaineering Council of Scotland objects)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Plans for a hydro-electric scheme in the Scottish Highlands have enraged the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCoS) which has branded the project 'vandalism'. The row centres on proposals from Highland Light and Power (HLP) to build a...

WATER; South Staffs will not ditch water.(South Staffordshire Group)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... South Staffordshire Group has said it has no plans to ditch its water business despite a greater than ever share of its profits coming from its support services businesses. In what chief executive Brian Whitty described as 'another good...

ENERGY; Ofgem calls for action on switching glitches.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... by Roger Milne Energy regulator Ofgem this week put domestic energy suppliers on notice to clean up their act with regards to customer transfers or expect regulatory action, as yet unspecified. The challenge surfaced on Monday when the...

TELECOMS; Telefonica tilts at Terra Lycos with e1.7b offer.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica has launched a surprise e1.72 billion bid for 100 per cent of its internet arm Terra Lycos. At half the price paid by retail and institutional investors during its much-hyped initial public offer in May...

gas; RWE Gas bids for outstanding Transgas stake.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... RWE Gas has become the favourite to acquire the outstanding 3 per cent of Czech gas importer Transgas still held by the country's National Property Fund (FNM). The German company paid e3 billion for 97 per cent of Transgas in December...

Loss cause.(transmission loss cost allocation)
June 6, 2003... Generators are appealing against a decision to allocate transmission loss costs to those that cause them . By Mark Evans. The Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC) governs the usage of the English and Welsh electricity transmission system....

gas; Germany: VNG sets sights on EWE holding.(Verbundnetz Gas)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Verbundnetz Gas (VNG) has said it will bid for the 27.4 per cent stake in north German energy utility EWE held by multi-utility giant Eon. 'We can make an offer either in cash or via asset swaps,' said VNG chairman Klaus-Ewald Holst. The...

The Spitfire approach.(Vattenfall grows in Germany)
June 6, 2003... It is peculiarly appropriate that Stockholm-based Vattenfall's head office is sited right next to the Spitfire pub. After all, no utility has been more aggressive than Vattenfall in attacking the German market head-on. As a result, under...

TELECOMS; BT hits out at rival's savings challenge.(Carphone Warehouse)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... by Zo Grainge Fixed-line telecoms operator BT has turned its guns on rival Carphone Warehouse, labelling its [pounds sterling]500 customer challenge campaign 'confused and misleading' to customers. BT fired its broadside as it launched...

WATER; Veolia in talks on UK Czech assets.(Veolia Water may buy VaK JC)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... France's Veolia Water, formerly Vivendi Water, is eyeing the Czech Republic operations of UK company Anglian Water. The French company is the largest water utility in the Czech Republic with 35 per cent of the market. It is particularly...

WATER; AWG bidder poised to ditch backer.(Bream Investments may ditch WestLB)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Bream Investments, the buyout vehicle assembled to bid for water group AWG, was this week rumoured to be poised to switch backers after investigations began into the performance of WestLB's Principal Finance Unit, led by high-flying executive...

The government is considering an amendment to the Water Bill that could relax the legislation curbing water mergers.
June 6, 2003... The government is considering an amendment to the Water Bill that could relax the legislation curbing water mergers. Industry sources revealed that a shift in policy may be in the offing after water minister Elliot Morley, in an interview...

WATER; Bream's AWG bid to sink without WestLB.(Bream Investments)
June 13, 2003... by Karma Ockenden and Paul Garrett Bream Investments, the vehicle bidding to buy AWG, could be left stranded if backer WestLB ditches the [pounds sterling]1 billion deal. Sources said that the other financiers linked with AWG -...

TELECOMS; C&W to exit US as it records [pounds sterling]6.5bn loss.(Cable & Wireless)
June 13, 2003... by Zo Grainge Troubled telecoms company Cable & Wireless (C&W) recorded a [pounds sterling]6.5 billion loss for the year ended 31 March 2003, and announced its intention to withdraw from the US market and focus on the UK. Group...

ELECTRICITY; CEZ and Eon fix swaps deal.(power distribution stakes)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... CEZ, the Czech Republic's dominant electricity producer, has agreed to swap stakes with Eon in four regional power distribution companies in a move that will further consolidate the country's energy market. In a deal worth at least e400...

ELECTRICITY; Forwards hike fuels fears of power cuts.(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... rising electricity forward prices this week fanned speculation of capacity shortfalls this winter after the transmission operator last week warned of the threat of power cuts if demand matched last year's peak. UK electricity forward...

ELECTRICITY; German users rail against price hikes.(by HEW, Heingas)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... The German Energy Consumers Association (BDE) has lodged a formal complaint with the Cartel Office over tariff increases planned by Hamburg suppliers HEW and Heingas. The BDE objected that Heingas was raising prices despite a 2002 increase...

ENERGY; Former charity chief slammed by inquiry.(Andrea Cook, National Energy Action)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... The conduct of Andrea Cook, former director of energy charity National Energy Action (NEA) fell 'way below the standard reasonably expected of the chief executive of a large organisation', a Charity Commission inquiry concluded this week. ...

ELECTRICITY; Czechs warm to nuclear option.(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... Nuclear power will form a crucial part of the Czech Republic's future energy needs. The industry ministry unveiled its draft energy policy last Thursday in which it looked at six approaches for satisfying the country's needs until 2030....

TELECOMS; DT forced to raise end-user prices.(Deutsche Telekom)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... German telecoms regulator RegTP has allowed dominant operator Deutsche Telekom to raise its prices for end users, in response to an anti-trust investigation by the European Commission. RegTP president Matthias Kurth, who sets many of...

ELECTRICITY; Danes slam 'chaos' in policy.(Eltra concerned that state wind-power policy hurts business)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... Danish operator Eltra has requested urgent talks with the country's Department of Energy to discuss what it describes as 'the general chaos' being caused by government support for the construction of offshore windfarms in Jutland and Funen. ...

WATER; Shrunken Dee Valley goes back to basics.(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... The disposal of its energy business and a fall in operating profit at its water business has left Dee Valley Group a much smaller player. Turnover for the year ended 31 March 2003 was down from [pounds sterling]27.4 million the previous...

GAS; VNG set to bid for Eon's stake in EWE.(Verbundnetz Gas)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... Verbundnetz Gas (VNG) is to bid for Eon's 27.4 per cent stake in north German energy utility EWE. 'We can make an offer either in cash or via asset swaps,' said VNG chairman Klaus-Ewald Holst. The e1.5 billion disposal was a condition of...

TELECOMS; Brussels' transparent move.(European Commission investigation of France Telecom bailout)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... The European Commission is rumoured to be using the French government's e9 billion credit line to France Telecom as a chance to prove it can operate transparently. Anti-trust authorities in Brussels have announced a e320,000 contract to...

It's an ill wind in renewableland.
June 13, 2003... All is not exactly hunky-dory inside the Renewable Power Association (RPA). Last month RPA chief executive Philip Wolfe made a presentation to the Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group (PRASEG) at an evening reception and...

ELECTRICITY; Finland to turn screw on grid price-setting.(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... Finland's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) plans to introduce new and stricter controls regulating the price-setting operations of all grid companies. According to the MTI, the new rules will take effect from 2005. At the same time,...

WATER; Ofwat may be forced to accept mergers.(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... by Karma Ockenden Water minister Elliot Morley has said that Ofwat may have to change the way it regulates to accommodate a more relaxed merger regime. Speaking at an Institute of Economic Affairs conference last week, Morley said...

ENERGY; Eni pitches to up Galp stake.(GalpEnergia)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... Italian oil and energy group Eni wants to increase its 33.3 per cent holding in Portuguese energy group GalpEnergia. 'We are strategic partners,' Eni chief executive Vittorio Mincato told the Galp annual general meeting. Eni 'will be among...

GAS; Governance change doubts.(Ofgem may change gas retailer governance arrangements)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... The gas sector has given a mixed response to proposals from energy regulator Ofgem for further changes to the scope and content of proposed new governance arrangements for gas retailers. Last week's document, originally expected to be...

GAS; GdF boosts presence in Italy markets.(Gaz de France acquires 40% of Italcogim)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... French state-controlled gas giant Gaz de France has acquired a 40 per cent stake in Italy's fourth-largest gas distributor - multi-utility Italcogim - for an undisclosed sum. This latest move in GdF's European expansion is in additionto...

GAS; Spain's Natural enters bid for Greek stake.(Gas Natural may bid for 35% of Depa)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... Spanish gas company Gas Natural is considering bidding for 35 per cent of Greek gas monopoly Depa, currently being privatised, a Gas Natural spokeswoman confirmed to Utility Week. Bidding began last September when the Greek government...

WATER; Groundwater is being over-exploited.(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... The world's groundwater reserves are under threat from growing consumption and increased use and disposal of chemicals, according to the United Nations. In a report, the United Nations called for groundwater to be taken more into account...

PAN-UTILITY; Developers probe network shortfall.
June 13, 2003... The London Development Agency (LDA) is to investigate utility demand in one of the biggest housing growth areas in the UK as concern grows that developments will be held up by lack of power and water infrastructure. The LDA initiative...

TELECOMS; Price cuts spark talk of trouble at 3.(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... Speculation that sales of third generation mobile operator 3's products and services are underperforming grew as the company unveiled massive price cuts in its voice tariffs. Analysts said two new deals launched by Hutchison 3G's 3 brand were...

GAS; Imports safety threat probe.(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... Fears that imported gas could pose a safety risk for old household appliances have prompted a government inquiry. Energy minister Brian Wilson announced the probe last week after figures in the industry voiced concern that gas imported from...

Generators call for 'capacity payments'.(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... According to The Business, ScottishPower has called on the government to compensate electricity generators for maintaining coal-fired plants as a back-up, in case 'unreliable' renewable sources fail. Wind-powered generation is dependent, after...

Congestion charging.(liberalisation in European power, gas markets)
June 13, 2003... The power and gas markets in Europe are moving slowly but gradually towards full liberalisation and all non-domestic customers within the European Union should be able to choose their supplier by July 2004. The market will be open for all...

ENERGY; Italy sizes up a merger of pipe and wire networks.(industry minister Antonio Marzano says Italy may merge the country's gas and electricity networks)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... Italian industry minister Antonio Marzano has confirmed that the government may merge the country's gas and electricity networks. 'I am not giving an opinion,' said Marzano, 'but it is true this is one of the options we are pursuing.' The...

WATER; Hands grabs Kelda's WRG stake on cheap.(Kelda Group sells its 45.5% stake in Waste Recycling Group to Terra Firma)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... by Karma Ockenden Kelda Group this week finally offloaded its 45.5 per cent stake in Waste Recycling Group to top banker Guy Hands' company Terra Firma. Kelda accepted a bid of 267.5p a share, despite Terra Firma promising at least...

GAS; 'Corporate killing' ruled out.(three judges rule that Transco will not face 'corporate killing' charges for the 1999 explosion in Larkhall, Lanarkshire)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... Three senior judges have ruled that Transco will not face a charge of 'corporate killing' for the 1999 explosion in Larkhall, Lanarkshire, which killed a family of four. Last week's judgement at the Appeal Court in Edinburgh overturned an...

The right stuff.(utility human resources management)
June 13, 2003... Many media column inches have been given over to criticism of companies for rewarding poor performance by making generous payouts to executives who have not delivered. In the past, utilities have not been immune to this syndrome of 'rewarding...

TELECOMS; Tesco trolleys into mobiles with MMO2.(MMO2 and Tesco form a joint venture)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... Mobile operator MMO2 and supermarket chain Tesco have teamed up in a 50:50 joint venture to create a new mobile offering with an investment of [pounds sterling]8 million each over the first two years of operation. Tesco Mobile, to be...

Brain ; sell.(management psychologists)
June 13, 2003... More and more utilities are drafting in management psychologists to help them get ahead of the competition . Brett Seamons explains. Management psychology is one of the most straight-talking and down-to-earth resources available to people...

Energy saving scheme on track.(industry briefs)
June 13, 2003... Suppliers have delivered around 30 per cent of the energy savings required over the three-year lifetime of the Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC), Ofgem has reported. According to the regulator, suppliers need to deliver another 5TWh in each...

British Energy.(is restructuring)
June 13, 2003... by Zo Grainge British Energy is currently hammering out a financial restructuring. It has been kept afloat by a government loan since last September, when the impact of a sharp fall in wholesale electricity prices threatened it with...

CEZ.(a profile of the company)(Company Profile)
June 13, 2003... by Nigel Hawkins CEZ is the major electricity player in the Czech Republic, employing almost 10,500 people. The company was founded as recently as 1992 and is responsible for producing over three-quarters of the nation's electricity. ...

ELECTRICITY; NordPool lashed over 'vague' price fix slurs.
June 13, 2003... by Gerard O'Dwyer Major Nordic power players have lashed power exchange NordPool over its claims that 'certain companies' may be fixing prices. Lars Frithiof, chief executive of Swedish utility Sydkraft, challenged NordPool's board to...

ENERGY; Norway watchdog in merger powers scrap.(ooliticians try to block Norway's National Competition Authority from disallowing takeover activity by state-controlled firms)
June 13, 2003... by Gerard O'Dwyer Opposition parties holding over 62 per cent of the seats in Norway's Parliament have filed an amendment to the Competition Act which would prevent the National Competition Authority (NCA) from disallowing takeover...

ENERGY; Ofgem top job role may be watered down.(the role of Ofgem CEO may be changed)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... Energy industry watchers speculated this week that the post of Ofgem chief executive may become more administrative and less strategic. The possibility of a watered down role for the chief was fuelled by the wording of the advertisements...

ELECTRICITY; Europe's regulators to get beefed-up powers.(the European Parliament increases the powers and duties of the European Regulators Group)
June 13, 2003... by Keith Nuthall The European Parliament has beefed up the powers and duties of the European Regulators Group, which will be set up after the passage into the law of the European Union's internal market package for the electricity sector....

Question mark over nuclear bill.(Patricia Hewitt says there is uncertainty over the underwriting of the nuclear liabilities accruing to British Energy)
June 13, 2003... Trade and industry secretary Patricia Hewitt has admitted uncertainty over the scale of the government's underwriting of the nuclear liabilities accruing to British Energy (BE). That doubt surfaced as the government confirmed it was...

TELECOMS; Cesky bags Eurotel control in e1bn deal.(Cesky Telecom becomes the 100% owner of Eurotel)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... Cesky Telecom, the Czech dominant fixed-line operator, last week agreed to become the 100 per cent owner of its mobile arm, Eurotel, by buying the 49 per cent stake held by the US's AT&T and Verizon, for e894 million. The transaction will...

eNVIRONMENT; Agreement in green funding meeting.(the Johannesburg Renewable Energy Coalition holds its first conference)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2003... A clearer picture of the international funds and co-operation deals required to boost the world's use of renewable energy sources has emerged from the first conference of the Johannesburg Renewable Energy Coalition. The 80-country...