Utility Week

9.83TWh Between January and June this year, windfarms in Scotland produced enough electricity to power every home in the country UTILITY WEEK | 19TH - 25TH JULY 2019 | 5 "Despite the potential of solar PV in the UK, the technology is not currently identified as an industrial priority by the UK government and its innovation agencies" A report by the Solar Commission claims the government's industrial strategy makes only one mention of PV technology. Following a request from Scottish Natural Heritage to carry out environmental improvement work while it carried out the £30 million Burncrooks water mains project nearby, Scottish Water went back to basics and used two working heavy horses, called Tyne and Tanta, to clear the bracken in a more environmentally friendly and sustainable way than the alternative of using chemical sprays. WATER DWI investigates Southern Water Southern Water is under inves- tigation by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) as well as the Environment Agency, it revealed this week in its annual report. A•er successfully closing two DWI enforcement orders, Southern admitted that two remain. New water quality metrics, including the Compliance Risk Index (CRI) and Event Risk Index (ERI) have been introduced. Southern revealed it was below industry average for CRI in 2017, with its ERI the "worst in the sector". Southern said it was doing "significant work" to address this. It has also been assisting the Environment Agency with "evolv- ing" investigations into historic mis- reporting of wastewater compliance between 2010 and 2017. Following the conclusion of Ofwat's investiga- tion it agreed to pay £126 million in a package of penalties and payments. Southern's chief executive Ian McAulay said: "We have fallen far short of the expectations and trust placed in us by our wastewater cus- tomers and the wider communities we serve. We are fully committed to continuing the fast pace of change delivered since 2017." • Southern posted a pre-tax loss of £253.6 million in its financial results for the year to end March, compared with a pre-tax profit of £202.9 mil- lion the previous year. It received a tax credit of £20.7 million, lowering its post-tax loss to £232.9 million. Meanwhile, operating profit fell from £263.3 million to £117.9 million a•er a series of costly regu- latory interventions. Ovo boss gives £1m to lobby for carbon tax Ovo chief executive Stephen Fitzpatrick has committed £1 million of his own money to a campaign to introduce a universal carbon tax on all products. He said the ZeroC campaign would lobby for a "general carbon charge". Flint steps down as Yorkshire Water CEO Yorkshire Water chief executive Richard Flint is to retire on 12 September, to be replaced by the company's current chief financial officer, Liz Barber. Flint has been chief executive since 2010, when he was promoted from chief operating officer. He has been with the company since 1992. Barber has been CFO for nine years, having joined from Ernst & Young, where she held a number of senior partner roles. Anthony Rabin, chairman of Yorkshire Water, said: "I would like to thank Richard for his exceptional leadership of the company over the last nine years and wish him the very best for the future." APPOINTMENTS 50 days and counting… The deadline for entering this year's Utility Week Awards has been set at 6 September, giving would- be prize winners 50 days to outline to our panel of independent judges why they deserve an award. As usual, the big night will be at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, held this year on 8 December.

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