Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 8TH - 14TH NOVEMBER 2019 | 3 This week 4 | Seven days 6 | Inside story What election could mean for utilities 8 | Utility of the Future The UOTF Advisory Board says how it would recast the regulatory framework to help achieve net zero 15 Policy & Regulation 15 | News Carbon budgets urged for each department 16 | Analysis The capacity market is back in business 19 Finance & Investment 19 | News Windfarms to supply Amazon and Tesco 20 Operations & Assets 20 | High viz ESB's Turlough Hill hydroelectric power plant 21 | Market view Meeting customer needs with the latest fi eld service management technology 22 | Congress extra Industry rallies round for change 25 | Market view Customer-centric digital communications can cut costs 27 Customers 27 | News Public to advise on achieving net zero 29 | Market view Standing out from the crowd to attract investors 30 Community 31 | Disconnector Mando: Improving experiences for vulnerable customers https://bit.ly/361toNK See the Community section, page 30 If you are responsible for your company's outsourced or internal customer service centre we can deliver compelling cost savings to your business, with a typical rate for an FTE of just £10 per hour. Synergy operates an established Contact Centre in a modern and thriving part of Durban, South Africa employing experienced and highly educated staff. We already successfully work with a number of UK utilities across a range of services: If you would like to see our operation for yourself we can fly you, at our cost, to South Africa. Here we will give you a full tour of our facilities, a presentation on how we work and access to our professional teams. For further information please contact steve.cripwell@synergyoutsourcingltd.co.uk / 020 7932 4171 or toby.selves@synergyoutsourcingltd.co.uk / 020 7932 4116 BASEC: DNOs need tried and tested cabling systems they can rely on https://bit.ly/33WYzYv https://bit.ly/33WYzYv Leader Suzanne Heneghan Polling stations It was hardly the ideal Christmas present for utilities. News of a December general election may have heralded the end of the draining parliamentary impasse, for now. And we can all nally dare to dream of moving forward on the big issues, such as an energy whitepaper. But the political landscape has never been so unpredictable – not least for those water and energy companies staring down the barrel of nationalisation. Ironically, the country goes to the polls in the same week that the deadline falls for gas networks to submit their nal business plans to Ofgem, 9 December. And shortly a• er the 12 December vote Ofwat will be revealing its nal determinations for PR19. Yet if "McDonnellomics", as the shadow chancellor's historic economic reforms have been dubbed, end up winning the day, life in the industry will be wholly diˆ erent on the morning a• er the elec- tion. Which, as some wags have pointed out, is Friday the 13th. In the run-up to such a crunch moment it's not easy for utilities to shape their corporate visions for the future. At an operational level it must remain business as usual. Industry cannot aˆ ord to be distracted from keeping the taps running and the lights on. But higher up, as some Utility Week sources revealed this week, the advent of polling day is creating real concerns – both around the uncertainty it brings and how a change in government could aˆ ect investment. Investors are worried about the future value of the assets they are currently in charge of. Likewise, companies want to know how they will be able to access capital – be it private or public. All are exercised about whether they will be able to deliver on the far-reaching commitments they have made to regulators, and ultimately government, in their business plans. On the plus side, industry has long been in upheaval mode. It knows the world has moved on, and that it must adjust to the climate emergency and transformative technology. More unsettling for the sector is the fear it could potentially soon answer to a government applying management and oversight approaches more relevant to the 1970s and 1980s – such as having boards loaded with worker representation. Along with the swathe of industry manifestos – ooding in, comes a call for strong, independent leadership to continue if industry is to move at any speed towards net zero. That would get my vote. Suzanne Heneghan, editor, suzanneheneghan@fav-house.com See election analysis, p6; comment from Jane Gray, p19 COVER STORY 6 | Inside story Nationalisation is crunch time as country goes to polls HIGH VIZ 20 | Digital twinning helps hydro upgrade EVENT 22 | Congress calls for change EVENT 25 | Talk to your customers in a language they understand

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