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4 | 18TH - 24TH SEPTEMBER 2015 | UTILITY WEEK National media Businesses warned to be gas safe British Gas has warned small- and medium- sized enterprises to take gas safety seriously during Gas Safety Week as a survey revealed one in five firms have experienced health and safety issues with boilers or gas appliances. 17% of businesses don't have their gas appliance checked at least once a year 41% would switch off the electrics if they smelt gas on their premises 16% would try to work out which appli- ance was leaking gas 1% would shut all windows and doors to keep the gas inside the building US oil output set for biggest fall since 1992 The International Energy Agency (IEA) has predicted that US oil out- put next year will see the steepest fall since 1992 because of low oil prices. US oil production increased to record highs in recent years as high prices made investment worth- while. However, prices halved over the past year as demand fell in line with slower economic growth. Meanwhile, Opec producers, particularly Saudi Arabia, have maintained high levels of produc- tion. US crude oil was trading at more than $90 a barrel a year ago, but now costs around $45. The UK's Brent crude has also halved in price from a year ago and is currently trading at about $48 a barrel. BBC News, 11 September Many big cities lack safe water supplies Precarious water supplies are nothing new in Sao Paulo but today Brazil's largest city is suffering the worst drought since records began in 1930. This urban crisis is being replicated across the world, with one in four of the biggest cities experiencing water stress. The fundamental reason for the precipitous drop in water supplies is the explosive expansion of cities and their growing demand for high quality water. The Guardian, 11 September France vows to end aid for coal exporters The French government has vowed to end state aid for companies exporting coal technology as the country tries to set a good example in the run-up to December's UN- sponsored climate change summit in Paris. Financial Times, 10 September STORY BY NUMBERS T he chair of the Energy and Climate Change Commit- tee (ECCC) has slammed the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) for its continued failure to provide investors with policy certainty following the ra of changes to the subsidy regimes announced over the summer. Speaking exclusively to Utility Week, the SNP's Angus MacNeil said: "There is still no certainty from Decc as to what is going to happen next… Inves- tors still wonder what the next step is. It's a real surprise that the Tory government is risking private investment like this." MacNeil also revealed that the ECCC would focus one of its inquiries into investor confi- dence in the UK energy system. The comments follow Decc's decision to scrap measures designed to give subsidy cer- tainty for renewables projects in the early stages of development, and for the subsidies for renew- able generation via the feed in tariff (FIT) being scaled back or removed. However, energy secretary Amber Rudd dismissed the notion of investor uncertainty in the sector. She told Utility Week: "I think we have investor confidence." She said the cuts were needed to curb the £1.5 billion overspend of the Levy Control Framework, which came about as a result of the "success- ful deployment" of solar and onshore wind. The energy secretary said the cuts were part of the govern- ment's focus "to always put the consumer first" and that despite industry concerns on low-car- bon investment "we will hit our carbon targets". Both Rudd and MacNeil were speaking at a House of Commons networking recep- tion hosted by Utility Week in association with the Energy Networks Association. MB ECCC chair slams Decc for hitting investor certainty Seven days... "Nowhere in the world is there a comparable precedent" Eon chief executive Johannes Teyssen on the German government's move to hold the company liable for the mandatory nuclear dismantling even if the assets were sold off.