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Utility Week 17th April 2015

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UTILITY WEEK | 17TH - 23RD APRIL 2015 | 5 The London Fire Brigade's initial assessment of the blaze that raged underground in Holborn, London, for 36 hours is that it was caused by an electrical fault. Investigators believe the fault occurred in the Victorian tunnels running underneath the Kingsway, damaging an eight-inch gas main, which ruptured and fuelled the fire. The initial findings made public last week shift the focus back to London's electricity distribution network, which is operated by UK Power Networks, following speculation that the blaze may have been deliberately set by criminals to aid the multi-million pound diamond heist of security boxes in Hatton Garden on Good Friday. This week the CMA published the written submissions of the big six suppliers, in which they rubbish claims that the market is uncompeti- tive. Low switching rates are not a symptom of disengaged customers, EDF Energy said, but rather a standard characteristic of UK consumers. "Over the past five years, switching levels between energy suppli- ers, although lower than in previous years, are still comparable with the likes of home insurance and exceed that for telephony and banks," EDF Energy said. EDF submitted the following table, above, to prove its point. Pay-as-you-go energy Photo: Press Association New MD for British Gas APPOINTMENTS Centrica said on Tuesday that insurance veteran Mark Hodges will head its retail supply arm and join the board from June this year, with the aim of improving cus- tomer service performance. Hodges has spent more than 20 years in the insurance industry, with Norwich Union and Aviva, and brings "a strong understanding of the UK consumer market and a track record in improving business performance". "He is experi- enced in working in a regulated environment, driving significant improvements in cus- tomer service and efficiency, offer innovation, major IT and change projects," Centrica added. Severn Trent has appointed National Grid's chief executive of gas distribution as its new managing director for wholesale operations. Emma Fitzgerald will join Severn Trent Water on 1 July. Fitzgerald said she was"really excited" to be taking the role "at such an important moment for the water Industry". "I have spent my entire career in the provision of essential services and I am looking forward to sharing my experience to deliver for all Severn Trent stake- holders over the next five years." Prior to joining National Grid, she held senior technical, strategic and operational roles with oil giant Shell for more than 20 years. Grid's Fitzgerald joins Severn Survey answers to the question, 'for which of the following, if any, have you switched provider in the past five years'? Car insurance Contents insurance Energy provider Home insurance Broadband Landline phone Main bank account None of these 48% 37% 36% 35% 30% 26% 15% 22% Source: ICM Online omnibus, January 2014

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