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UTILITY WEEK | 22ND - 28TH APRIL 2016 | 5 American company Duke Energy has installed a solar farm near Disney World in Florida, designed in the shape of Mickey Mouse. The firm joined with Walt Disney World Resort and Reedy Creek Improvement District to develop the 5MW solar array located on 22 acres near Epcot. The facility comprises 48,000 solar panels and its output will be sold to Disney and surrounding businesses. 100% Green Energy becomes the first company in the UK to supply totally renewable gas to its customers "Do the right thing" Uswitch calls for suppliers to cut standard tariffs by a further 10 per cent because wholesale costs sank to record lows in the first quarter of 2016. Figures from Energy UK have revealed that the number of electricity customers switching away from the largest suppliers to small and mid-tier suppliers hit a record high in March. The data showed the number of switches from larger to small and mid-tier suppliers was 206,419 last month, making up 43 per cent of all switches. Meanwhile, just 11 per cent of switches were from small and mid-tier to larger suppliers. In total, 476,528 customers switched electricity supplier, the highest number recorded since November 2013. It was the third time in less than a year that the monthly number of switches exceeded 400,000. Switching to smaller suppliers hits record high Ofwat names three new senior directors Ofwat has named the three remaining senior directors in its overhaul of the senior management team, announced last year by chief executive Cathryn Ross. Aileen Armstrong, who joins from the Treasury, is senior director of finance and governance; David Black, currently Ofwat's director of economics, takes the new role of senior director of Water 2020; and John Russell, who joins from Shell, will become senior director of strategy and planning. Analysis, p11 Welsh Water owner names new chairman Welsh Water parent company Glas Cymru has appointed Alastair Lyons as its new chairman, effective from 8 July. He succeeds current chairman Robert Ayling. Lyons has been chairman of Admiral, the Cardiff-based FTSE 100 motor insurer, since 2000 and is also deputy chairman of Bovis Homes. PEOPLE MOVES Source: Electralink Number of switchers 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 0 Movement between small and mid-tier and larger suppliers Big six supplier to small supplier switches Small supplier to big six supplier switches Big six supplier to big six supplier switches Small supplier to small supplier switches Feb 14 Mar 14 Apr 14 May 14 Jun 14 Jul 14 Aug 14 Sep 14 Oct 14 Nov 14 Dec 14 Jan 15 Feb 15 Mar 15 Apr 15 May 15 Jun 15 Jul 15 Aug 15 Sep 15 Oct 15 Nov 15 Dec 15 Jan 16 Feb 16 Mar 16 Wessex: catchment- wide permit Wessex Water has signed an agreement with the Environment Agency to trial an industry-first catchment-wide permitting scheme in the West Country, with the hope of improving the environment at a lower overall cost. The trial will begin on 1 January 2017 and run for four years. Wessex said the move was prompted by the need to reduce levels of phosphorus being discharged from its sewage works into the River Avon, to meet the requirements of the Water Framework Directive. WATER