Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/662533
UTILITY WEEK | 8TH - 14TH APRIL 2016 | 5 Scottish Water has installed 1,000 solar panels at Marchbank water treatment works, which serves 68,000 properties in Edinburgh and parts of West Lothian, meaning a quarter of the energy required is now provided by the solar panels. In the past two years, Scottish Water has doubled the amount of renewable energy it generates to more than 50GWh. It has 27 hydro turbines as well as several wind and photovoltaic schemes. Energy is also extracted from sewage sludge, reducing transport of materials off-site and increasing the environmental sustainability of the company's operations. £5 million Investment sought from members of the public for a community energy project near Stratford-upon-Avon, promising a 5 per cent annual return. "It's just a dirty trick" US environmental activist Erin Brockovich slams Scottish Water's plan to chloraminate the water supply to customers in the Spey Valley. p23 The graph shows prospective government flood defence investment of £2.3 billion "capital set- tlement", plus £700 million additional spending earmarked in the Budget 2016. Investment bank Investec said that, while the budget has increased, there is still "considerable doubt" as to whether the pace of investment is consistent with the pace of climate change, and the increasing frequency of extreme flooding. The firm suggested a "radical approach" to the government's flood defence strat- egy, currently under review, whereby flood defence asset ownership is transferred to water companies, paid for via water bills. (Full story, p9) Government cash to guard against flooding 1,000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Environment Agency forward six-year "capital settlement" EA capital spending (£ million. 2016 prices) Bristol Water customer champion Peaches Golding has been appointed independent chair of Bristol Water's Challenge Panel, tasked with ensur- ing customers' views are at the heart of business planning. An award-winning business and community leader, Golding has chaired many local groups including Ofcom's Viewer Panel for ITV West. She was England's first black High Sheriff and is widely regarded for her work representing diverse and disad- vantaged communities. New chair for Affinity Water customer group Affinity Water has announced that Teresa Perchard will be chair of its Customer Scrutiny Group from 22 June, taking over from Robin Dahlberg. Perchard is an experienced consumer advocate and non- executive director, with 30 years' experience in consumer advocacy, consumer protection and regula- tory roles. She has held senior positions at Citizens Advice for more than 13 years, and before that with the Office of Rail Regula- tion, Office of Water Services and the National Consumer Council. PEOPLE MOVES Source: Defra/Treasury 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 Basic spending Budget 2016 uplift (est £700m pa)