Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 15TH - 21ST NOVEMBER 2019 | 5 "Delaying investment is potentially more damaging than paying high prices for one or two pioneering pilots" Tim Yeo, former Conservative MP and current chair of the New Nuclear Watch Institute, says sometimes you've got to take risks on costs. PAN-UTILITY Voters back tough net zero policies and direct taxation to cover costs Nearly half the general public would prefer the costs of decarbonising heat and electricity to be met by direct taxation rather than a sur charge on energy bills, according to an exclusive survey for Utility Week. In a poll of more than 2,000 people carried out by Harris Inter active, 48 per cent said they would prefer emissions reduction from heating and electricity to be paid for by direct taxation, which is seen as fairer to those on lower incomes. Another 30 per cent preferred to stick with the charge added to bills. The survey was carried out in autumn before the general election was called. It showed widespread support for tougher measures to tackle climate change, which all parties are now embracing to win over voters. Nearly half (47 per cent) backed a move to bring forward a ban on the sale of new petrol cars to 2032. See full report, p6 WATER Water UK appoints new chief exec Trade body Water UK has appointed Christine McGourty as its new chief executive. She will replace outgoing boss Michael Roberts, who leaves on 16 December – the same day Ofwat is due to reveal its final determina tions on PR19. Roberts has been in post for four years. McGourty has previously led the corporate affairs functions at Cen trica, British Gas and Energy UK, as well as serving as a nonexecutive board member at Smart Energy GB. Her most recent role was as chief corporate affairs officer at engineer ing and technology company Laird. Severe flooding in South Yorkshire last week left customers of Northern Powergrid without power. The company said "small pockets" of residents in Doncaster and surrounding areas suffered from the outage, but did not confirm the number of properties affected. Hundreds of people had to be evacuated from their homes around Sheffield and Doncaster, and at least one person died when heavy rain caused the River Don to burst its banks. 29GW To hit its net zero target, offshore wind capacity needs to expand from 13.5GW today to nearly 30GW by 2030, according to RenewableUK. Book your table Table bookings have opened for this year's Utility Week Awards. The full shortlist is available at: https://utilityweekawards.co.uk NIC chief steps down Phil Graham, chief executive of the National Infra- structure Com- mission (NIC), is stepping down from the role. Graham has been with the NIC since it was formed in 2015 and said on Twitter that he had had a "fantastic time running the organisation". He will take up a new role as executive director for good growth at the Greater London Authority. The NIC is now engaged in the process of finding a successor. MOVES Award-winning Utility Week Utility Week walked off with two trophies at the PPA Independent Publisher Awards in London last Friday – including the prestig- ious 2019 Brand of the Year Award. The Faversham House title was also Highly Commended in the Team of the Year category, at the event at Houndsditch attended by individuals, brands and publishers from across the independent publishing spectrum.

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