Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government
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utIlIty WeeK | 27th June - 3rd July 2014 | 23 Operations & Assets Work on commissioning the turbines will continue until the end of the year. The project is being run from a dedicated £4 million operations and maintenance base in Barrow-in- Furness. The offshore windfarm is a 50/50 joint venture between Dong Energy and Scottish Power Renewables. If you have an asset or project you would like to see featured in this slot, email: paul.newton@fav-house.com Pipe up Peter Jones W ith football on TV nearly every day, it's hard to miss that the World Cup has kicked off in fantastic style – even if England has le the competition in the group stage. Despite their early exit, I can't help but think how different the England team is – comparing the strict and autocratic style of Fabio Capello four years ago with the more open and inclusive approach under Roy Hodgson. The contrasting management structure and style – and the way in which it translates into the attitudes of the players – could tell us a thing or two about our industry. In the 1970s and 1980s, adversarial contractor-client relationships were simply the way business was done. Legal disputes were not unusual, wasting time, money and energy that could have been invested in delivering better solutions for consumers. The first step towards more intelligent contracting emerged with the New Engineering Contract in 1993. It set the framework for a more collaborative and integrated approach to procurement. Over the years, working practices and cultures have shied, BS11000 has been introduced and the industry is talking more about partnering and collaboration. But do we have the skills and mindset to make it work? Regulatory frameworks such as RIIO focus on doing things differently to deliver the best possible infrastructure for UK plc and lower bills for consumers. Under RIIO, putting stakeholders at the heart of the decision-making process is key. For me, that extends to getting the best out of all partners, through a collaborative working environment. Like the England team at the World Cup, it means working closely with people and organisations who are also the competition. It means being transparent, shar- ing information, listening to others, managing conflict, accountability and being open to compromise – with strong, committed leaders to keep us on track. By working together, everyone benefits from the best ideas, driving truly innovative solutions that are more sustainable, cost effective and better for consumers. That's important as we move into a period of growth and the pressure increases to deliver new infrastructure at the right price – against the backdrop of resource and skills shortages. Contract arrangements that engender collaborative behaviour can only help us. By creating an environment where people can express themselves and are willing to share ideas and experi- ences, we give ourselves the best chance of success. Peter Jones, utilities managing director, Skanska "By working together, everyone benefits from the best ideas, driving truly innovative solutions." It means working closely with people and organisations who are also the competition