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Plugged in Blog The proposed shorter-term solution is the introduction of a Supplemental Balancing Reserve (SBR), which would give National Grid powers to pay generators to extend the life of existing power stations or bring back mothballed plant. We think this could be a workable solution, but as yet final details are yet to be confirmed, so this needs to happen urgently if any mothballed plant is to be brought back on in time for next winter. SSE's Dr Keith MacLean will be speaking in the Utility Week Debate, Keeping the Lights On, at the Sustainability Live exhibition at Birmingham's NEC on 1 April. For more information and to book your place, see sustainabilitylive.com Severn Trent fined £66,000 Severn Trent Water has been fined £66,000 after pleading guilty to 11 counts of supplying water unfit for human consumption at Coventry Magistrates' Court on Monday. The case was brought against the water company by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), which has accused Severn Trent of putting customers' health at risk. It was fined £6,000 on each of 11 counts under Section 70 of the Water Industry Act 1991, totalling £66,000, and paid £25,950 towards prosecution costs as well as a £120 victim surcharge. Severn Trent first received reports of discoloured water with unusual tastes and odours in Broadway, Worcestershire, in November 2012. 93-95% Percentage of households reconnected within 24 hours of the Christmas storm, the select committee heard this week. See p11 The Thames Tideway Tunnel is "absolutely essential in keeping London moving and coping with population growth" The Environment Agency's Richard Hatch at British Water's annual conference Join the discussion with Utility Week's LinkedIn group, U tility Week networking and news Feedback from utilityweek.co.uk Headline: Decc ponders 75GW new nuclear programme Marianne Birkby: And where will the uranium come from ...home grown from Orkney? Or ripped out of Peru? "EU energy and climate policy is punishing energy-intensive industries" Lakshmi Mittal, chairman of steel major ArcelorMittal, in a blistering attack ahead of key EU energy announcements Company 2011/12 2012/13 Change Direction Anglian 19.07%19.15%0.40% Dwr Cymru 25.37% 26.65% 5.05% Northumbrian17.07% 17.42% 2.09% Severn Trent 31.65% 31.15% -1.57% South West 23.26% 24.38% 4.81% Southern 16.84%17.47%3.77% Thames 30.57%31.44%2.82% United Utilities 32.12% 33.15% 3.19% Wessex 24.55%25.29%3.02% Yorkshire 26.34% 26.23%-0.41% Water LinkedIn Could an increase in the minimum wage, called for by George Osborne on Monday, take the heat off water c ompanies, given the cost of living debate? Vote results: Yes (0%) No (71%) Not sure (29%) Conor McGlone, journalist, Utility Week Properties in London's Westminster, and Chelsea and Kensington, have been exposed as the least energy efficient in the UK, with 79 per cent and 83 per cent of homes respectively failing to install either cavity or solid wall treatments. By contrast, the far northern Scots are among Britain's most energy efficient, with 66 per cent of Hebridean homes and 65 per cent of those in Aberdeenshire having their cavity walls filled. The figures come from Npower's "heatmap" of the UK, which the supplier has launched this week using data from the Energy Saving Trust. Simon Stacey, managing director of energy services at Npower, said: "This initiative helps us start a conversation with consumers to help them understand how much energy they use and the massive amount still wasted in the UK each day." Leakage measured as a percentage of total water delivered is on the rise, according to exclusive Utility Week analysis of data published by Ofwat. See p24 UTILITY WEEK | 24th - 30th January 2014 | 5