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4 | 12TH - 18TH JUNE 2015 | UTILITY WEEK National media Ovo commits to Living Wage Independent sup- plier Ovo Energy has committed to paying all its employees the Living Wage 1,500th Ovo has become the 1,500th accredited Living Wage employer in the UK £7.85/hr Ovo said it already paid the living wage to direct employees, but is extending its commitment to contractors £6.50/hr Is the statutory national mini- mum wage, while the living wage is set at a level to cover the basic cost of living 2013 The year SSE became the first big six supplier to guarantee a living wage for its employees EU agrees energy integration accords European energy ministers on Monday signed three accords on closer power and gas ties but differ- ences remained over implementing a single energy market and 2030 green fuel goals. The European Commission has used the political crisis with the bloc's biggest energy supplier, Rus- sia, to focus on creating an energy union through rationalised connec- tions across its 28 members. Reuters, 8 June Leaking water pipes can let in contaminants A study by engineers at the Univer- sity of Sheffield is the first to prove that contaminants can enter pipes through leaks and be transported into drinking water. The pressure in mains water pipes usually forces water out through leaks, preventing anything else from getting in. But when there is a significant pressure drop in a damaged section of pipe, water surrounding the pipe can be sucked in through the hole. The Daily Telegraph, 8 June Coal played a part in 'big five' energy firms losing €100bn in value The value of Europe's five biggest energy utilities fell €100 billion (£73 billion) between 2008 and 2013 in part because of their preference for coal over clean power, a new report said. Eon, RWE, GDF Suez, EDF and Enel collectively lost 37 per cent of their share value in the period, in part because of their dependence on loss-making new coal generating capacity. The Carbon Tracker Initiative said that during the recession, Europe's coal use fell by 5 per cent but the "big five" increased their reliance on coal by 9 per cent. The Guardian, 5 June STORY BY NUMBERS S cottish National Party MP Angus MacNeil is expected to take up the position of chair of the Energy and Climate Change Committee, following his party nomination on Tues- day morning. The MP was put forward by his party to lead the influential select committee, a position pre- viously held by Conservative MP Tim Yeo, with voting set to take place on Wednesday 17 June. MacNeil's nomination follows weeks of speculation that the SNP-held committee could be headed by the party's Westmin- ster energy spokesman Callum McCaig, former energy spokes- man Mike Weir or even former party leader Alex Salmond. Utility Week understands that the party is likely to nominate just one MP for the position ahead of the vote, making MacNeil a shoo-in for the job. Aer securing a tidal wave of support in the recent general election, the select committee could offer the SNP a vehicle for advancing its drive to have a greater say on energy policy. The Conservative pledge to cut onshore windfarm subsi- dies is likely to be a bone of contention for the Scottish MPs, who are committed to generat- ing renewable energy to meet 100 per cent of Scottish demand by the end of the decade. The SNP has also pledged to turn its back on shale gas and nuclear development – both key energy ambitions for the Conservative government. Although MacNeil is expected to hold the party line on energy policy, he will be expected to voice the consensus views of the cross-party committee. JA SNP's MacNeil poised to head energy committee Seven days... 4,000 Electricity North West has restored power to nearly 4,000 customers after severe gales caused damage to the power network across the region "It's time for the UK government to have a serious rethink" The SNP's Westminster representative for energy, Callum McCaig, brought forward an early day motion to put pressure on the UK government to consult with the Scots on planned cuts to onshore wind subsidies through the Renewables Obligation (RO) regime