Utility Week

UTILITY Week 20th June 2014

Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government

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UTILITY WEEK | 20Th - 26Th JUnE 2014 | 3 Leader Ellen Bennett This week 4 | Seven days 7 | Opinion Mike Foster, the Energy and Utilities Alliance 8 | Interview Volker Beckers, chairman, Albion Community Power 16 Policy & Regulation 16 | News Ofwat to 'ruthlessly prioritise', says Ross 17 | Market view Resolving biomass disputes 19 Finance & Investment 19 | News CfDs may favour expensive generation 20 | Analysis Ofwat's 'risk and reward' guidance upsets customers and investors 21 | Analyst view Martin Brough 22 Operations & Assets 22 | High viz Alstom's transformers head for Sweden 24 | Market view IT projects that make a difference to business 25 Customers 25 | News Complaints against the big six hit new record 26 | Market view Engage with customers to get the most from smart meters 28 Markets & Trading 28 | News Market hedging 'stops bills falling' 30 Community 30 | Subscriber focus Tony Glover, Energy networks Association 31 | Disconnector Tales of everyday heroism tell the true story When Eoin Hennessy, a meter fitter with Balfour Beatty for Bord Gais Networks, visited the home of an elderly couple to fit their meter, he was appalled by the conditions they were living in. Despite both suffering various ailments, the couple had escaped the notice of the health and support services and were barely surviving. Hennessy came back in his own time, having personally secured donations of materials from local businesses, and rebuilt their home. He put them in touch with the local support services, getting them the help they needed. This is just one of the amazing stories that we celebrated at last week's Utility Week Stars Awards. Judging the entries for these awards, and presenting them on Friday, has been a highlight of our work for the whole Utility Week team. We launched the awards because we believe the negative spin and political barracking over utilities leaves those on the front line too oen forgotten, their hard work and commitment overshadowed, and the pride they take in public service uncelebrated. We were simply overwhelmed by the response. The stories came flooding in – and we saw that there are many different types of hero- ism. The story of Eoin Hennessy will stay with everyone who heard it, as will that of Dave Owen and Clayton Pearce of Morrison Utility Services, who rescued disabled children from a burning bus when travelling for a work call. No less heroic is Zoe Barron, customer re- lationship manager for Yorkshire Water and Loop customer manage- ment, who stepped up when a third party billing agent went bust, working tirelessly to ensure her customers got their money back. Or the Oxford Calor Centre team, who waded through floods in difficult and dangerous conditions to ensure their customers could heat their homes and cook their food. You can see all the winners at www.utilityweekstars.co.uk You don't see that on the front pages; or hear questions about it at select committee hearings; or have it investigated, campaigned against or regulated. But it goes on quietly every day, through floods, storms and more. And we think that's something worth celebrating. Ellen Bennett, Editor ellen.bennett@fav-house.com GAS 28 | News Russia- Ukraine stand-off drives UK market prices higher WATER 16 | News Ofwat to 'ruthlessly prioritise', says Ross 20 | Analysis Investor confidence in water 23 | Pipe up Paul Mullord ELECTRICITY 8 | Interview Volker Beckers, Chairman, Albion Community Power 17 | Market view Resolving biomass disputes 22 | High Viz Alstom's transformers 26 | Market view Engage with smart meters 28 | News Market hedging is 'stopping bills falling' EnERGY 6 | Blog spot Chris Alexander, Citizens Advice 7 | Chief executive view Mike Foster, the EUA 21 | Analyst view Martin Brough 12 | Special report What's happened to Eco? 25 | News Complaints against the big six hit new record 25 | I am the customer Clare Francis Knowledge worth keeping Visit the Downloads section of Utility Week's website for special reports and exclusive research commissioned for the utilities industry. http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/downloads

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