Utility Week

4 | 26TH OCTOBER - 1ST NOVEMBER 2018 | UTILITY WEEK Seven days... Spain hopes for green energy renaissance Seven years ago, Spain was on the way to becoming a world leader in renewable energy, but aer the election in late 2011 of a People's Party government, seen by critics as hostile to the sector, there was little or no progress. While Spain has significant land and offshore shale gas and oil reserves, environmen- talists and local authorities have blocked exploration, meaning renewables are Spain's principal energy asset. Since June, however, the new minority government, led by Pedro Sánchez of the centre-le PSOE, has asserted its commitment to renewable energy. Financial Times, 23 October Nigerian tycoon buys 51 per cent stake in Entrepose DBN Shoreline Energy International, an industrial conglomerate owned by Nigerian tycoon Kola Karim, has bought a 51 per cent stake in Entrepose DBN. According to Entrepose DBN, the transaction will help accelerate the development of the company and expand its reach across Nigerian industrial sectors as the two companies merge to create a leading engineering, procurement and construction contractor. Forbes, 22 October Violent hailstorms hit Italian cities A hailstorm hit Rome on Sunday evening, flooding streets. The temperature around the city dropped by 10C during the storm and many cities across Italy, from Milan to Palermo, experienced heavy rainstorms and flooding over the weekend. Some motorists were forced to abandon their cars as they became submerged in the deluge. According to local news reports, the San Sebastiano Basilica was flooded with up to half a metre of water. ITV News, 22 October STORY BY NUMBERS National media Snowdrop transfers all its customers to Nabuh Energy S nowdrop Energy is in the process of transferring all its customers to fellow Sheffield-based energy supplier Nabuh Energy, Utility Week understands. The company said on its web- site that the "continued increase in wholesale market prices" has put pressure on its business, which has sparked the deci- sion to "protect" its customers through winter. The energy supplier has advised customers that any credit balances will be safe. The company is thought to have had around 6,000 customers, who will be switched automatically to Nabuh Energy. The process is expected to last until around 2 November. Once the process is completed, customers will be able to choose to stay with Nabuh or switch to another supplier with no exit fees. Nabuh Energy is believed to have up to 20,000 existing customers. Snowdrop's problems fol- low the demise of Usio Energy, which ceased trading at the beginning of last week. Its 7,000 customers have gone to First Utility aer the company was chosen by Ofgem as the supplier of last resort fol- lowing a competitive tender. The collapse of Usio prompted predictions that other small suppliers could also close before the end of the year. In March this year it was revealed that Toto Energy would transfer thousands of its customers to Utilita Energy the following month. Toto said it had been "pushing hard" to improve all aspects of its business and that it made the decision for the good of its customers. Its handling of the transfer was criticised by Citizens Advice, which described the company's communication to customers as "appalling". An Ofgem spokesperson said: "We are aware of the purchase of Snowdrop Energy's customers by Nabuh Energy. Ofgem scrutinises any commercial transfer of customers to ensure the deal does not cause detriment to the customers, including by ensuring credit balances will be honoured. "If we were not convinced the deal is in customers' best interests, we would intervene to prevent the sale." KP Energy tariffs rise 21% in five months The energy market has been described as "extremely vola- tile" after analysis from MoneySuper- Market revealed energy tariffs rose by almost 21 per cent in the past five months thanks to rising wholesale prices. £1,042 The average price of the top 30 energy tariffs. 20.6% Percentage prices have risen by in five months. £178 Amount prices have risen by in five months. 4 Number of tariffs available under £1,000, none of which are fixed tar- iffs. This compares with 89 in April. £47 In August Ofgem announced it was raising the level of the prepayment meter cap by £47. "We are confident that we are ready to agree a deal and launch it" The offshore wind industry is ready to sign its industrial strategy sector deal with the government, Orsted's UK country manager Benj Sykes revealed. Customers will transfer to fellow Sheffield-based supplier

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