Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/585882
UTILITY WEEK | 16TH - 22ND OCTOBER 2015 | 5 United Utilities is putting two properties and a patch of land under the hammer. The water company is putting a historic reservoir keeper's house and a former water tower up for sale, along with land with planning permission for seven new-builds. The properties and potential development previously formed part of United Utilities' Prescot water treatment works, and the company is looking for offers in the region of £650,000. UU assistant surveyor Julie O'Malley said the development "provides an excellent opportunity to bring two interesting existing buildings back to life". 17 years old Electralink is rolling out a new data system alongside its 17-year-old data transfer service (DTS) to allow new market entrants access to the market using modern IT. One-third Amount of heat generated using renewable sources in Scotland rose by 36 per cent in 2014, new figures show. WATER Former water minister Rich- ard Benyon has been named as the new chair of the UK Water partnership. The Conservative MP replaces Lord Chris Smith in the role leading the organi- sation which aims to develop opportunities for the UK water sector in a £300 billion global market. Outgoing chair Lord Smith said: "Since its launch in March 2015, the partner- ship has made real strides in bringing together the many water research, industry and user communities to help focus on innovation, growth and export opportunities. "Richard has great experience in this area and I am very pleased to see the partnership moving ahead in such good hands." Benyon said he was "delighted" to be able to build on his success of his predecessor and "take up the task of maintaining the momentum we've seen, especially at such an impor- tant time for the industry". A version of this story first appeared on wwtonline. co.uk The annual Lazarus consumer survey has revealed how the likelihood of switching energy supplier directly correlates with income. The survey found that customers who are most likely to switch are not those most worried about utility prices rising in the next 12 months. Instead, customers earning between £50,000 to £60,000 are the most actively engaged in the energy market. Switching is most prevalent among shoppers of Ocado, at 25 per cent of shoppers, Waitrose, 19 per cent, and Sainsbury's, 19 per cent. The rich make the switch £0 to £10,000 £10,000 to £20,000 £20,000 to £30,000 £30,000 to £40,000 £40,000 to £50,000 £50,000 to £60,000 More than £60,000 Prefer not to answer Total Source: Lazarus 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Percentage of customers by income group likely to switch in the next year "…no gimmicks, no funny mechanisms…" First Utility's chief executive Ian McCaig tells Utility Week of the supplier's plans to enter the German market, p25. 10% 16% 11% 13% 16% 20% 18% 28% 23% Ex-water minister named chair of UK Water Partnership