Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/406126
UTILITY WEEK | 31sT OcTObEr - 6Th NOvEmbEr 2014 | 3 Leader Jillian Ambrose This week 4 | Seven days 6 | People & Opinion 8 | Interview Dan rogerson mP, water minister, Defra 13 Policy & Regulation 13 | News Two legal challenges to Tideway Tunnel 14 | Market view Water supply security 16 | Analysis EU agrees climate change targets 19 Finance & Investment 19 | News Price freeze threat 'stifling investment' 20 | Analysis renewables get a tanning 21 | Analysis Opening the flood gates? 22 Operations & Assets 22 | High viz Yorkshire Water's Esholt chP 24 | Market view smart grids across Europe 25 | Analysis Get (back) in 26 Customers 26 | News Small firms struggle with smart rollout 27 | Market view service symposium 28 Markets & Trading 28 | News market prices to boost coal generation 30 Community 30 | Reader of the week craig mcmaster, business director, mWh Global 31 | Disconnector Grid's winter wishlist Nothing marks the change of season quite like the rolling back of clocks and National Grid's annual winter outlook report. The energy industry has especially anticipated this year's tome of forecasts and modelling given the flurry of capacity issues that have dogged the UK's fleet of generating assets over the summer. And now National Grid's planned steps have emerged, so have the repeated assurances that they probably won't be needed. Securing capacity totalling more than 3GW to sit on the bench and paying companies to cut their use are "sensible precautions", we're reminded (more on p4). That might well be true. The UK's security of supply still falls well within government's definition of "secure". But in a winter of unexpectedly tight margins, before a general election, it is not the time for complacency (if there ever is one). So as the UK's regulators prepare for the worst and hope for the best, the Utility Week news team mulled what might appear on National Grid's winter wishlist: 1. Kind weather: This year, we imagine National Grid will be keeping its fingers crossed for weather that is mild enough to cap demand and windy enough to keep renewable generation high. 2. Timely capacity returns: November could prove a make or break month for the Grid's plans. SSE has confirmed the return of one of the two Ferrybridge units to service by November, while EDF has promised that a unit at Heysham and one at Hartlepool will also return at the beginning of next month. 3. An end to unexpected disasters: The UK has seen an unprecedented number of unexpected outages this year, including three fires at thermal generation plants. Surely further catastrophes are less likely given how many there have already been? 4. Fewer Russia-Ukraine headlines: The plan for what might happen if Russian gas supplies to Europe are constrained? Rely on the LNG market, says National Grid (see p28). For now, it seems supply disruption is unlikely. Which is just as well for UK consumers, who'd foot the bill for expensive LNG deliveries. 5. Similar security for the rest of Europe: With electricity imports currently standing at around 7 per cent, Europe's security of supply matters to the UK too. If the rigour and caution of National Grid's winter preparation are not enough of an assurance, the words of energy secretary Ed Davey are perhaps more consoling: "There will be no blackouts. Period." Jillian Ambrose, News editor jillian.ambrose@fav-house.com GAs 13 | Political Agenda mathew beech WATEr 8 | Interview Dan rogerson mP, water minister, Defra 13 | News Two legal challenges to Tideway Tunnel 14 | Market view Water supply security 21 | Analysis Opening the flood gates? 26 | I am the customer Andrew bainbridge 27 | Market view service symposium ELEcTrIcITY 19 | News Iberdrola questions Longannet's future 20 | Analysis renewables get a tanning 24 | Market view smart grids across Europe 28 | News market prices to boost coal generation ENErGY 16 | Analysis EU agrees climate change targets 19 | News Price freeze threat 'stifling investment' 19 | Stock watch EDF 22 | High viz Yorkshire Water's Esholt chP 23 | Pipe up robert carling 26 | News small firms struggle with smart rollout Knowledge worth keeping Visit the Downloads section of Utility Week's website http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/ downloads Diligent: British Gas gives board portal a warm reception http://bit.ly/1sAvsnw Rolta: White Paper: Pull yourself together http://bit.ly/1qPuBgR