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As we prepare for the 2014 Util- ity Week Achievement Awards ceremony, some of this year's judges give their perspective on the value of industry competi- tions and share some of their own professional triumphs and tumbles. What benefits are attached to entering industry awards schemes? Awards allow recognition of the hard work carried out by employees every day, which does not otherwise make headlines. What is your most memora- ble moment from an industry awards night? A guest speaker grappling to People & Opinion Utility Week community Utility Week Achievement Awards 2014 What the judges are saying The main event The Utility Week Achievement Awards 2014 take place on 8 December at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London. Find out more at www. utilityweekawards.co.uk Highly disruptive First Utility, the UK's largest independent dual fuel sup- plier, was named the Growing Business of the Year (£50 million+ turnover category) at Real Business magazine's 2014 Growing Business Awards. The award scheme's judg- ing panel commented: "This company could potentially be one of the fastest to reach £1 billion revenue in the UK. It is highly disruptive and has incredible growth figures." First Utility saw off cross- sector competition from other rapidly expanding firms, including snack box brand Graze and the UK's largest independent supplier of tool hire, GAP Group, to triumph in its category. Hot off the press The Royal Academy of Engi- neering has published a report investigating the economic and social costs and impacts of supply interruptions, both within different sectors and across the economy as a whole. Counting the Cost: the Economic and Social Costs of Electricity Shortfalls in the UK was produced at the request of the Council for Science and Technology. It includes case studies assessing the impact of significant outages in coun- tries around the world, as well as theoretical studies of the value of lost load in the UK. The report noted that a high level of dependence on elec- tricity networks in the UK had been magnified by growing reliance on the internet and electronic telecommunications and that complexity and inter- connection made a full impact analysis difficult. UtILItY WeeK | 5th - 11th December 2014 | 7 articulate our sector's activities, terminology and acronyms. Not everyone can win; what's your advice to teams who go away empty-handed from an awards ceremony? First of all, keep trying. But also remember that winning is just the icing on the cake. The actual cake – the best bit – ought to be the recognition you receive from your own project members, col- leagues and employer for a job well done. What's your personal 'award-winning' career achievement? Realising that one of my team who I had trained and men- tored could do my job better than me. What about the worst low point? See above! Mark Bygraves, director of strategy and development, Elexon On 27 November, the Smith Com- mission released its recommen- dations for the further devolu- tion of powers to Scotland. Relevant points for utilities include: • The Scottish and UK govern- ments will draw up and agree a memorandum of under- standing to ensure that such devolution is not detrimental to UK-wide critical national infrastructure in relation to matters such as defence and security, oil and gas, and energy. • There will be a formal con- sultative role for the Scottish government and the Scottish parliament in designing renewables incentives and the strategic priorities set out Devo max "We don't have enough detail to say what impact devolved powers will have on the way suppliers achieve their energy efficiency and fuel poverty obligations in Scotland. What's important is that we ensure the outcomes remain the same" michelle hubert, head of energy and climate change, cbI in the Energy Strategy and Policy Statement to which Ofgem must have due regard. • Powers to determine how supplier obligations in rela- tion to energy efficiency and fuel poverty, such as the Energy Company Obligation and Warm Home Discount, are designed and imple- mented in Scotland will be devolved.