Utility Week

Utility Week 7th March

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UTILITY WEEK | 7Th-13Th March 2014 | 3 Leader Ellen Bennett This week 4 | Seven days 6 | Opinion alistair Phillips-Davies, chief executive, SSE 8 | Interview Dan rogerson, water minister 12 Policy & Regulation 12 | News Ovo exceeds Eco exemption threshold 13 | Analysis The state of ccS in the UK 14 | Market view Filling the capacity gap 15 | Market view Uncertainty in the energy sector 19 Finance & Investment 19 | News Npower profit rises as rWE posts net loss 20 | Market view Energy M&a trends in 2014 22 Operations & Assets 22 | High viz Yorkshire Water 24 | Market view Water industry benchmarking 26 | Market view Energy from waste comes of age 26 Customers 26 | News Ofgem calls on big six to hand back £400m 27 | Market view Understanding customer values 28 Markets & Trading 28 | News Ofgem's competition reforms 'fall short' 30 Community 30 | Subscriber focus andrew Sharp, Business Stream 31 | Disconnector Ofgem's new chief has his work cut out A hearty welcome to Dermot Nolan, who took up the reins of Ofgem this week. The mind boggles at the prospect of the new chief execu- tive's inbox, not to mention the sword of Damocles hanging above his desk as politicians of all colours threaten Ofgem's demise. It will have been a frantic first week for Nolan – and here's what might have been top of his list: 1. A phone call to Ed Davey. The energy minister's extraordinary intervention in the supposedly independent competition audit of the supply market last month leaves Ofgem with little choice but a referral to the Competition and Markets Authority when it reports back towards the end of this month. Nolan might also take a couple of minutes to flick through his regulator's hand- book – can it really be allowed for a secretary of state to single out a listed company for potential break-up, pre-empting the "independent" inquiry and wiping millions of pounds off its market cap in the process? 2. A sit down with some of the bosses of distribution network opera- tors. The networks are peeved that only Western Power Distribu- tion was awarded enhanced status for ED-1, and mutterings are growing louder that Ofgem moved the goalposts halfway through the match by changing the weighting it gave to different metrics in the assessment of dra business plans. 3. A call on the Treasury. George Osborne's budget in two weeks' time could have serious implications for energy markets, with a freeze on the carbon floor price expected, as well as possible fur- ther changes to Eco and the Green Deal. As we explore on p4, this could have unintended consequences for renewables subsidies further down the line. 4. A crunch through the numbers with National Grid and the Department of Energy and Climate Change. The three have been unable to agree on capacity predictions, with Nolan's predecessor Alistair Buchanan defying Decc to warn of a looming crunch in 2016. Nolan will want to make up his own mind. 5. Dinner with Caroline Flint? Maybe not. Ellen Bennett, Editor ellen.bennett@fav-house.com GaS 28 | News Ofgem reforms 'fall short' 28 | Market watch Ukraine crisis hits gas prices WaTEr 7 | Expert view Karma Ockenden 8 | Interview Dan rogerson, water minister 22 | High viz Yorkshire Water 23 | Pipe up Gordon rogers ELEcTrIcITY 13 | Analysis The state of ccS in the UK 14 | Market view Filling the capacity gap 19 | News Npower profit rises as RWE posts net loss 26 | Market view Energy from waste comes of age ENErGY 6 | Chief executive view alistair Phillips-Davies, SSE 12 | News Ovo exceeds Eco exemption threshold 15 | Market view Uncertainty in the energy sector 20 | Market view Energy M&a trends in 2014 26 | News Ofgem calls on big six to hand back £400m 21 | Analyst view Daniel Wong 27 | Market view Understanding customer values 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

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