Utility Week

4 | 1ST - 7TH NOVEMBER 2019 | UTILITY WEEK Seven days... Ofwat is 'politicised', say investors Water industry investors have accused Ofwat of bowing to political pressure over spending demands. Top investors in the water indus- try have complained to the Treasury that Ofwat is being politicised and warned of a flood of appeals against its financial demands. The meeting on 14 October is believed to have included blue-chip investors such as German insurer Allianz, Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC, Deutsche Bank's wealth division and Australia's IFM Inves- tors. Among the issues raised were Ofwat's independence and the dangers of it reacting to political pressure. The Sunday Times Energy companies 'owe us millions' Richard Mason, 56, who made his fortune by co-founding the Money Supermarket price comparison site, says he is owed more than £1,500 by a failed supplier. He says suppliers are using money from customers' accounts that are in credit to keep themselves afloat. Mason says he is owed £1,556.93, which he built up by overpaying for his energy consump- tion while he was a customer of Solarplicity, which then went bust. The Times Lower voltage will save carbon Electricity North West says plans to lower its voltage could cut emissions by 10 per cent and save customers £60 a year. Under the plan, about 45,000 homes can expect to shave £60 from their annual electricity bills. The scheme could save millions of pounds on energy a year and cut carbon emissions without people noticing any difference, says the local network company. The Guardian In the media Deferred capacity market charges due in November T he deferred capacity mar- ket charges, which energy suppliers were encouraged to collect and put aside while the scheme was frozen, should be paid to the Electricity Settle- ments Company on 14 Novem- ber, according to a senior figure at Energy UK. Director of policy, Audrey Gallacher, was speaking to Utility Week a‚er the European Commission last week cleared the capacity market of infringing state aid rules. The delivery and settlements bodies for the scheme both con- firmed they had been notified of the decision by energy secretary Andrea Leadsom, allowing them to resume their operations, which were suspended during the standstill. Gallacher said a set timetable for collecting the charges should now come into effect. "Suppliers will be getting an invoice on 14 November and they've got until 21 November – five working days – to pay that invoice." She said that if suppliers did not pay, their names would be added to a list of defaulters and the Electricity Settlements Com- pany would chase them for pay- ment. "Any money not collected by 13 December is then subject to mutualisation," she said. Gallacher said suppli- ers should have been getting "shadow invoices" while the capacity market was suspended, so there shouldn't be any doubt about what monies are owed. The capacity market was suspended in November last year a‚er a court overturned a decision by the European Com- mission clearing the scheme with respect to state aid rules. The court told the Commission to look again at the scheme, which it has now done. Sara Bell, chief executive of demand-side response (DSR) aggregator Tempus Energy, said the Commission had "rushed through" the reinstatement of the scheme, "ensuring the energy industry can rip off con- sumers to the tune of £1 billion a year". Tempus Energy was the claimant in the case and claimed the capacity market discrimi- nated against DSR, "unjustly favoured fossil fuels and stifled innovation". TG "Each business will either be part of the problem or part of the solution" Sir James Bevan, head of the Environment Agency, says tackling climate change need not impose unacceptable costs but ought to save money and generate growth. STORY BY NUMBERS Latest smart meter statistics The Smart Data Communica- tions Company updated industry this week on the rollout of more than 2.5 million second- generation SMETS2 meters. 2.5k In total, 2,501,309 SMETS2 smart meters have now been fitted. 2024 The new rollout end date announced by government last month. 2020 The initial end scheduled for the rollout. 85% Minimum smart meter coverage target. 34 Number of companies live on the DCC's network.

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