Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 15TH - 21ST MARCH 2019 | 5 "This impact assessment provides a clear vision for Britain's electricity networks to pave the way for a smarter, more flexible energy system" David Smith, chief executive of the Energy Networks Association (ENA), as the organisation launched a consultation on an impact assessment of five different "future world" models for its Open Networks project. To mark International Women's Day, United Utilities co-hosted an event at its Cheshire headquarters with Soroptimist International of Warrington, to try to "soften the male image" associated with jobs in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects, using augmented reality, laboratory experiments and problem solving. WATER EA grants drought permit to Severn Severn Trent has been granted a drought permit by the Environment Agency allowing it to take more water from two reservoirs. The water company will be able to increase the amount of water it takes from Foremark and Staun- ton Harold reservoirs until the end of March. Severn Trent has made the move to top up supplies in the event of another dry summer, as experienced last year. A spokesperson for the com- pany said: "We took the decision as a result of the incredibly hot summer, when demand for treated water was so high, and because rainfall in the East Midlands has been considerably below average for the last eight months." ELECTRICITY Ofgem issues URE Energy with final RO payment order Ofgem has issued URE Energy with a final order obliging it to pay more than £200,000 in Renewables Obligation (RO) payments by 31 March. In total the supplier owes the regulator £209,013.78 for the obligation period of 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018. Ofgem invited representations or objections in relation to the final order, which was proposed on 13 February, to be made by 6 March. Big six supplier SSE made representations in support of the proposal, with the large supplier sharing the regulator's concern that compliant suppliers are penalised by shortfalls arising from non-compliant suppliers such as URE. Following this, URE has until 5pm on 31 March to make the pay- ment and must notify Ofgem it has done so via email. An "unprecedented" 34 suppli- ers failed to meet their obligations by the 1 September deadline last year, which resulted in a combined shortfall of £102.9 million in the England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland buyout funds. GAS Former energy minister for OGA A former energy minister has been appointed as the new chair of the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) to replace interim chair Frances Morris-Jones. Tim Eggar, who was an MP for almost 20 years and energy minis- ter between 1992 and 1996, took up the role on 11 March. Business and energy secretary Greg Clark appointed the "highly experienced" Eggar, as Morris- Jones completes her term as interim chair at the end of the month. Prior to taking on this role, Eggar was a non-executive chair and board director, including in the oil and gas sector and the wider energy sector. "These campaigners are seeking to dismantle the regulations before they're even in place… They should be rejected by the court" Benedict McAleenan of Biomass UK responding to a court bid to stop the European Commission treating forest-grown wood as a renewable fuel. £44m The amount analysts predict will be the shortfall in Renewables Obligation payments for 2018/19 following a spate of supplier failures. 500,000 Number of SMETS2 smart meters installed as of Friday 8 March, according to the Data Communi- cations Company. Eon installed the 500,000th device.

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