Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government
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4 | 6th - 12th March 2015 | UtILItY WEEK National media Grid's sec- ond tender round National Grid has opened its second tender to secure extra capacity ahead of the mid- decade capacity crunch this com- ing winter. It has already offered contracts to two centrica-owned gas power plants, South humber Bank and Barry. 1GW extra capacity wanted 40MW capacity South humber Bank power station should provide 227MW capacity Barry power station should provide 700MW capacity secured in the first tender round For more on National Grid's balancing plans for winter 2015/16, see p26 France's nuclear decline exposed For decades, France's nuclear industry was seen as a source of economic strength, providing cheap power for factories, high-tech ex- ports and tens of thousands of well- paid jobs. Today, it's looking more like a liability. Electricité de France SA, the world's largest nuclear op- erator, must spend $63 billion over the next decade to keep the ageing fleet of 58 reactors running safely. More urgently, nuclear engineer Areva SA has lost billions from a project in Finland and investments in African uranium mines, raising the prospect of a state bailout. Bloomberg, 27 February Drinking water could be poisoned with algae Britain's lakes have seen a huge increase in toxic algae that is linked to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, scientists have warned. Researchers at the University of Nottingham and McGill University in Canada have discovered that populations of cyanobacteria – also known as blue-green algae – have significantly increased in Britain's waterways since the 1800s. Colonies of blue-green algae pose a threat to drinking water because many types contain toxins that can damage the liver and nervous system and have been linked to neurodegenerative diseases. The Telegraph, 26 February Water protests go viral on Irish social media The campaign against water charges has become the first popular protest in Ireland to make widespread use of social media to publicise its protests and activities. Some 22,700 record- ings have been uploaded onto You- Tube of anti-water charge protests, demonstrations and marches. The Irish Times, 2 March story by NUMbErs The government has allocated £315 million to 27 renewable energy projects through its first competitive auction for low carbon financial support. Most of the 2GW capacity to be funded through the first auc- tion round was awarded to two offshore wind projects totalling 1.1GW. In addition, 15 onshore wind projects and five solar projects will get cash. The clearing price of £114.39/MWh for offshore wind was 18 per cent lower than the government's maximum price for the technology of £140/MWh. The results stand in contrast to the government's earlier contracts for difference alloca- tion round (which ran without a competitive auction), where offshore windfarms secured between £140-150/MWh, spark- ing criticism that the deals failed to get value for money. In the latest allocation round, renewables developers were asked to compete at auction for funding, with most successful bidders clearing the auction "significantly" below the maxi- mum price the government was willing to pay. According to the government, investment in a total of 2GW of capacity will come forward at a cost to the consumer of £110 million less than it would have without competition. Solar proved to be the most competitive technology at auc- tion, with 71.55MW clearing at a price of just £50/MWh compared with a maximum offer of £120/ MWh. Meanwhile, onshore wind totalling 748.55MW cleared at £79.23/MWh, compared with a top offer of £95/MWh. "The auction has driven down prices and secured the best possible deal for this new clean, green energy," said energy secretary Ed Davey. JA Auction hands out £315m to 27 renewables projects "If Thames Water catches a cold, we sneeze" South East Water asset and regulation director David Hinton speaking at a CCWater public meeting on the relationship between South East Water and Thames Water in managing customer expectations Seven days... £2bn Energy market consultancy Wood Mackenzie is reportedly preparing an IPO that could give it a valuation of up to £2 billion.