Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 4Th - 10Th NovEmbEr 2016 | 3 Leader Jane Gray This week 4 | Seven days 6 | People & Opinion 8 | Interview Jonathan reynolds, CEo, Castle Water 13 Policy & Regulation 13 | News Time-out urged in smart meter network rollout 14 | Market view Government to return to fracking fray with redoubled courage 15 Finance & Investment 15 | News Scottish Power profits sag as turbine blades stop spinning 17 | Market view Tougher corporation tax times ahead? 18 Operations & Assets 18 | High viz Final turbine installed for SSE wind farm in the highlands 20 | Market view Low-carbon revolution needs high-profile attractions 24 Customers 24 | News Water developer services top-rankers slip back 25 | Personal view Price comparison websites have hoodwinked the regulator 26 | Market view big six fail online test 27 | Analysis Small businesses overcharged 28 Markets & Trading 28 | Analysis Grid girds up for winter 30 Community 31 | Disconnector Meter rollout must cut the CO risk, not raise it National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week falls later this month. Now in its 11th year, the event will, as usual, prompt a surge of activity across UK gas distribution networks – above and beyond the ongoing safety campaigns – to ensure that members of the public are alert to CO hazards. It's a duty the networks treat with deadly seriousness. And for good reason. Figures on the number of UK deaths a year due to carbon mon- oxide poisoning vary. A commonly quoted average is 50, although statistics from the charity CO-Gas Safety show that in 2014/15 there were just 13 accidental fatalities – only two of which were attributed to poisoning from a mains gas supply. Clearly, though, any fatality is one too many, and there should be no room for complacency. It has therefore been with some con- cern that Utility Week has recently heard a range of voices expressing frustration that opportunities to improve gas safety in consumer homes are being squandered in the course of the smart meter rollout. The Gas Industry Safety Group, for instance, has pointed out the inadequate requirements for equipping meter installers with atmos- pheric testing equipment – despite a mandate for these individuals to conduct gas safety surveys a'er meters have been fitted. Similar concerns were expressed at the recent Utility Week Congress. A gas network speaker told the delegates that he feared a shortage of experienced installers will lead to a glut of rapidly trained and unseasoned fitters who will not be able to identify tell- tale carbon monoxide hazards. Other concerns raised were that the use of inexperienced smart meter installers – under pressure to complete installs first time and to meet installation rate targets – will lead to a splurge of gas leaks, which in turn will put pressure on gas network resources for response and advice. Allegedly SMETS1 installs have already raised a range of issues, from missing washers to incorrectly fitted regulators. With the Smart DCC now having officially overrun its contingency period for launch, the likelihood of a rushed supplier rollout of SMETS2 meters is amplified. A focus for this year's carbon monoxide awareness week should be to ensure that this does not come at the expense of customer lives. Jane Gray Acting Editor janegray@fav-house.com GAS 14 | Market view Government to return to fracking fray with redoubled courage 24 | News Smart meter rollout blows Co chance WATEr 8 | Interview Jonathan reynolds, CEo, Castle Water 15 | News market leavers move customers to billing Jv 24 | News Developer services top-rankers slip back ELECTrICITY 28 | Analysis Grid girds up for winter ENErGY 13 | Political agenda Smart rollout get-out 15 | News more ecobonds from Ecotricity 18 | High viz Dunmaglass wind farm 20 | Market view Low-carbon revolution needs high-profile attractions 25 | Personal view Price comparison websites hoodwink the regulator 26 | Market view big six fail online test 27 | Analysis Small businesses overcharged Visit the Downloads section of the website WNS: The UK Smart meter rollout http://bit.ly/2espIJ3 Webfleet: how SGN is set to save £1m with Webfleet http://bit.ly/2eh3HAL Certas: balancing capacity market concerns : setting the record straight on fuel http://bit.ly/2essYnG

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