Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 1ST - 7TH JULY 2016 | 3 Leader Jane Gray This week 4 | Seven days 6 | People & Opinion 9 Policy & Regulation 9 | News Alan Whitehead quits the shadow cabinet 10 | Analysis Reaction to the CMA report 12 | Analysis Fallout from the UK's decision to leave the EU 14 | Market view Keep up with changes to the water industry's regulatory framework 16 Finance & Investment 16 | News CMA investigation cost taxpayers £5m 17 | Market view An intelligent way to collect debts 18 Operations & Assets 18 | High viz Hybrid photovoltaics, Singapore 21 | Market view Equipment suppliers help utilities solve AMP6 problems 22 | Market view Working safely at height 23 | Market view 'Presenteesism' – being at work in body, but not in mind 24 Customers 24 | News Energy inquiry 'did not go far enough' 25 | Analysis Can investment justify sharp increases in water bills? 28 Markets & Trading 28 | Analysis The latest Utility Week Intelligence report, on the water industry 30 Community 31 | Disconnector A historic day for the utilities industry A book charting the history of the UK utilities industry could now dedicate an entire chapter to one pivotal day: 24 June 2016. Not only did we wake to the news that the UK had voted to exit the European Union, we also saw the final publication of a two- year investigation into the energy market by the Competition and Markets Authority and the announcement of a major acquisition in the water market as Scottish retailer Business Stream confirmed it has bought Southern Water's business customer base prior to market opening. 1. Now that the initial shock that most business and industry lead- ers suffered on discovering the referendum result has begun to ebb, it is crucial that they mobilise to identify their potential vulner- abilities and, more positively, opportunities, in a post-Brexit world. Many companies put off investment in detailed or extensive scenario planning for Brexit, believing that it would never happen. Now it is reality and there is a great deal of work to be done. Leaving the EU will require new strategies for skills and workforce provision, inves- tor relations, encouraging research and development, and more. Further, it is essential that utilities come together with regula- tors and government to work more co-operatively and collabora- tively than ever before to hammer out the road forward and engage in the inevitable review of legislative and regulatory frameworks. This could take years and continuity in conversations will be hard to maintain given the expected political turbulence. Never- theless, industry leaders must commit themselves to the process. (Analysis, p12.) 2. Although the CMA has been criticised for producing underwhelming measures to fix the UK energy market, Ofgem has made it plain that it expects industry to embrace them or face interventionist regulation. Will the regulator be able to achieve a "principles-based" approach to enforcement of CMA remedies that does not induce unhelpful box ticking across an unenthusiastic industry? (Analysis, p10.) 3. Business Stream's acquisition of Southern Water's business cus- tomer base is a bold move that gives the Scottish incumbent a 10 per cent share of the English non-domestic market and sets it squarely in a region with huge scope to build on this. With its experience of the competitive Scottish market behind it, water retailers in neigh- bouring regions should beware (p6). Jane Gray, Acting Editor janegray@fav-house.com GAS 16 | News Good Energy share offer raises £3.1m WATER 9 | News Water Plus applies for supply licence 14 | Market view Changes to the water industry regulatory framework 16 | News Welsh Water invests £6m in network 21 | Market view Solving AMP6 problems 24 | News Welsh water customers 'more satisfied' than English 25 | Analysis Can investment justify hikes in bills? 28 | Analysis UW Intelligence on the water sector ELECTRICITY 16 | Stockwatch Tesla Motors and SolarCity join forces 16 | News Dong to sink £5.4bn into offshore wind 18 | High viz Hybrid photovoltaics, Singapore ENERGY 9 | News Scotland 'will lead England' on energy 24 | News Brexit to push up bills, says energy committee chair 24 | News 'Delay smart meter deadline until 2025' Visit the Downloads section of the website Citrix: How utilities can improve both customer service and operational efficiency http://bit.ly/1s4EAnI Kirona: Seven Deadly Sins Managing Field Based Workers 2016 http://bit.ly/1U737yM Aeris: Utilities and entrepreneurialism next. http://bit.ly/1TQ1YSf

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