Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 9TH - 15TH NOVEMBER 2018 | 5 "It's only right we take advantage of any technology that offers us the chance to improve the way we interact with our customers" Rob Ryder, technology and data lab manager at Severn Trent, on the water company's new service allowing customers to make video calls to engineers to report leaks. Two dozen beehives have been established at 350-acre Barlow Mound nature reserve, which forms part of the Drax site near Selby in north Yorkshire. So far 300lbs of honey have been produced, enough to fill 350 jars. Beekeeper Chris Holmes moved the hives on site in the summer and will maintain the colonies over the winter. In due course the bee population in the hives is expected to grow to more than a million and produce up to 2,000 jars of honey a year. ENERGY Centrica names new chairman Centrica has announced the appointment of Charles Berry as its chairman designate. Berry, who is chairman of international engineering group The Weir Group, has previously held chairman roles at Senior, Drax Group, EAGA and Thus Group. He immediately joins the board of the British Gas parent company as a non-executive director and will become chairman on 21 Febru- ary next year. He succeeds Rick Haythornthwaite, who announced in May this year his intention to step down during the course of the next 12 months, after serving approxi- mately six years. Berry has also held executive roles at Scottish Power and has held several roles at Pilkington where he started his career as an engineer. Speaking of his appointment, Berry said: "It is a privilege to join the board of Centrica and follow Rick as chairman. I have admired Centrica for many years and now look forward to working with the board and executive team." WATER UU to deploy AI throughout its networks United Utilities has signed a frame- work agreement with a Canadian technology firm to roll out artificial intelligence (AI) across its network – in a move believed to be a first for a UK water company. The deal with Emagin follows a successful 12-week trial that began in February after the com- pany was selected as a finalist in United Utilities' Innovation Lab. It will see United Utilities introduce large-scale AI into its operational systems. Emagin's AI platform assesses vast amounts of data on a range of factors such as weather, demand for water, pump performance and electricity prices to aid in leak detection and aid maintainance decisions. The water retail market operator's report for the second quarter of 2018/19 shows that a record 10,000 switches were cancelled during the three months (the majority for outstand- ing debt) – more than in any other quarter. There are now 26 national, 12 regional and five self-supply retailers in the market, as well as 25 wholesalers. So far, 175,828 switches have taken place. Four unassociated retailers accounted for more than 55 per cent of switching gains during the period. Record switch cancellations in water market 175,828 services switched 25 wholesalers considered by the Panel code changes 45 self-supply retailers national retailers regional retailers 5 26 12 43 retailers in the market 2.7m supply points 10.4m transactions Second quarter 2018 key numbers Source: MOSL

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