Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/189195
Seven days... National media Energy firm lobbyists still escaping scrutiny Lobbyists from the big energy companies are still escaping scrutiny of their dealings with government ministers, Ed Miliband has said. The Labour leader, who has promised to tackle high energy prices, said he was not satisfied that the coalition's lobbying bill would do enough to shine a light on contact between ministers and representatives of the big gas and electricity firms. The Guardian 'Yes' could mean public controlling windfarms An independent Scotland would take windfarms into public ownership, under plans from an influential thinktank to be discussed at the SNP's annual conference later this month. The Times Lib Dems dismiss Tory threat to cut subsidies The Liberal Democrats have dismissed a Conservative threat to cut renewable energy subsidies in order to reduce consumer bills as a "total red herring", while energy companies have warned that a political row over green policies will itself lead to higher prices. The Guardian £1.24 billion The amount invested in Dong Energy by Goldman Sachs and two Danish pension funds 4 | 4th - 10th October 2013 | UTILITY WEEK STORY BY NUMBERS POWER MODEL THREAT The traditional model for power utilities is under threat from distributed generation and new technologies, according to a PwC survey. 94% of respondents predicted a "complete transformation" or "important changes" to the power business model 33% of EU respondents thought it likely or highly likely that distributed gen would force utilities to significantly change their business models 17% of EU respondents said distributed generation was a threat Eustice replaces Richard Benyon as water minister F ormer backbencher George Eustice has replaced Richard Benyon as water minister in this week's government reshuffle. The water industry welcomed the appointment of Eustice, who is a member of the Efra select committee and former press secretary to prime minister David Cameron. Water UK chief executive Pamela Taylor said: "Our members look forward to working with him to continue to support the government's agenda for water." She thanked Benyon for his "dedication and commitment". Benyon was seen as a competent minister who was getting to grips with the intricate detail of the water industry. He stepped aside as part of a reshuffle designed to broaden the political spectrum of Cameron's government. Eustice is the MP for Camborne and Redruth in Cornwall "A world without companies working on both generation and customers is a fragmented world" EDF chief executive Vincent de Rivaz defends vertical integration at the Talk Power 2013 conference and will have responsibility for fisheries, biodiversity, flooding and national parks, as well as water. He was close to Cameron during the leadership contest, is a Eurosceptic and has criticised solar and windfarms in his constituency. The energy frontbench was left untouched by the reshuffle. Labour had yet to publish an official list as Utility Week went to press but there were unconfirmed reports of changes. These are understood to be that Jonathan Reynolds, former parliamentary private secretary to Ed Miliband, is joining the shadow energy and climate change team. He replaces Luciana Berger, who is moving into public health. Eustice's fellow Efra committee member Thomas Docherty takes over the shadow water brief from Gavin Shuker, who has transferred to international development. 208,000 The employee shortfall the utilities industry faces in the next ten years, according to Energy & Utility Skills