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UTILITY WEEK | 7Th - 13Th FEbrUarY 2014 | 3 Leader Ellen Bennett This week 4 | Seven days 6 | Opinion Chief executive's view: alan Sutherland, Wics 8 | Interview Laura Sandys, Conservative MP for South Thanet 13 Policy & Regulation 13 | News Second CCS project poised for approval 14 | Analysis Where next for the carbon floor price? 14 | Analysis Electricity storage 16 | Market view are water companies still 'public authorities'? 17 Finance & Investment 17 | News Flood defences pay off for National Grid 18 | Market view From the rO to CfDs 20 Operations & Assets 20 | High viz Dong Energy's turbine foundation 22 | Sponsored report Sensus looks at the case for smart water metering 27 Customers 27 | News Energy's high profile sees complaints soar 27 | I am the customer Jo Causon 28 | Market view Consumer representation in Northern Ireland 30 Community 30 | Subscriber focus anna Surgenor, UK Green building Council 31 | Disconnector On energy policy, the UK is not an island The major players in UK energy policy appear to be in the grip of a delusion – and this week the extent of that delusion was laid bare. Politicians of all colours, policymakers, regulators – all talk about UK energy policy as if it were or could be developed and enacted in isolation from its European and global context. It cannot, as the European Commission made painfully clear this week with the publication of its first-blush thoughts on the nuclear support deal for Hinkley Point C (see p5). In a damning indictment of the sweetheart deal for EDF and its co-investors, so long in the making, the Commission questions the very need for state aid for nuclear power. It questions the structure of the deal and points out that the UK government has failed to take into account future inter- connection capacity – quite literally, ignoring its links to Europe. It also questions the premise that nuclear power will help solve the country's capacity crunch. It in effect concludes that the UK govern- ment has agreed to pay EDF well over the odds, at the expense of bill payers, to get new nuclear over the line. Aer such a critical summary, it seems all but impossible that the Commission will allow the deal to go ahead without some major changes. Meanwhile, the government looks set for a climb down on another policy that was cooked up without due regard to its Euro- pean context, the carbon floor price. Don't be surprised if the Budget statement next month includes the freezing of the tax from 2016, in a bid to maintain the UK's competitiveness for heavy industry against other European nations. Politicians in this country shy away from the "E" word, because it is divisive and reminds people how little power they really have. Labour leader Ed Miliband's ranting on energy prices looks almost comical in a European context: what impact could an 18-month price freeze on our little island have on the macro-economic issues currently playing out across the Continent, and indeed the globe? A fair and frank public debate about energy policy in the run-up to the 2015 election needs to get real about Europe. Ellen Bennett, Editor ellen.bennett@fav-house.com GaS 27 | I am the customer Jo Causon 28 | Market view NI consumer representation WaTEr 6 | Chief executive view alan Sutherland, Wics 15 | Sponsored report The case for smart water metering 16 | Market view Freedom of Information conundrum ELECTrICITY 7 | Expert view Trevor Loveday 13 | News Second CCS project poised for approval 14 | Analysis Electricity storage 17 | News Flood defences pay off for National Grid 18 | Market view From renewables Obligation to CfDs 20 | High viz Dong Energy 21 | Pipe up Ian Lloyd ENErGY 8 | Interview Laura Sandys, Conservative MP for South Thanet 14 | Analysis Where next for the carbon floor price? 19 | Investor view Daniel Wong 27 | News Energy's high political profile sees complaints soar The 6th National Utility Week Consumer Debt Conference is a must attend for all utility companies and telecoms operators who want to their collection procedures and reduce consumer debt. At this one day event you will: get the latest updates on the Retail Market Review; find out how smart meters will improve prepay services; understand how to assess the latest technology to enable customers to manage their bills; learn how to identify vulnerable customers; explore new methods to develop an efficient payment extension; understand how investing in customer segmentation can improve collection and minimise bad debt. 26 March, Holiday Inn, Birmingham city centre Website: www.uw-debt.net