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4 | 20TH - 26TH JANUARY 2017 | UTILITY WEEK Spotlight on fuel poverty Environmental charity Hubbub has launched a campaign to tackle fuel poverty. Meanwhile, the Energy and Utilities Alliance has claimed fuel poverty could be cut by connecting more homes to the gas grid. 12 MPs have signed up to support Hubbub's Fuelling Connections scheme. 24,300 Number of excess winter deaths connected to cold homes in 2016. 139,130 Number of homes the EUA says could save money by connecting to the gas grid and installing central heating. £922 Annual saving the EUA says customers could enjoy by switching to gas central heating from electric heating. STORY BY NUMBERS Labour opposes domestic water competition Seven days... L abour has opposed measures to introduce competition into the residential water market, insist- ing that water and sanitation is "too important" to turn into a market. "Water and sanitation are a vital public health service, and Labour does not believe increas- ing commercialisation of the retail part of the industry will improve water quality or safety," shadow minister for flooding and coastal communities Sue Hayman told Utility Week. "As we have seen with other utili- ties, risk and confusion puts the onus on residents to choose which tariff is right for them." She pointed to a Public Accounts Committee report, which identified that customers are paying too much for their water, but said there is "no evi- dence" that commercialisation is the solution. "Customers fear inflated prices from companies seeking a profit out of being in the marketplace for water services, and fear the risk of downward pressure on providers over the standards of service," she said. "Ofwat claims this move will improve customer services, but this has not been the experience of the public where commer- cialisation has been extended to other utilities. Water and sanita- tion is too important to turn into a market – that is why Labour opposes these measures." Domestic competition was first mooted by former chancel- lor George Osborne in 2015, taking the industry by surprise. However, since then, govern- ment has gone quiet on the issue, leading the industry to speculate that it may be stepping back from domestic reform. LV "The EAC's view is that the retention of the bank's green identity should be the most important objective of any sale" Mary Creagh, chair, Environmental Audit Committee. National media World oil price will remain fragile The oil market's path to recovery will be volatile, even with a global deal to curb oversupply, according to the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA). Oil prices started to creep upwards towards the end of last year, aer the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, which represents some of the world's top producers, agreed a landmark global deal to limit pro- duction in a bid to get rid of surplus supply and boost prices. Daily Telegraph, 16 January Australia: coal's efficiencymisreported Research touted by the resources minister that reportedly suggests Australia can rely on coal to meet emissions reductions has been attacked by experts and appears to have been misreported. The Australian reported on Tuesday that research conducted by the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science – and commissioned by Matt Canavan, the federal minister for resources – showed Australia could cut its emissions by 27 per cent if it replaced its existing coal power stations with the more efficient "ultra-supercritical" technology. If true, that would get the coun- try close to its 2030 target, which is a reduction of 28 per cent below 2005 levels. The Guardian, 17 January Big Saudi solar deals Saudi Arabia will "within weeks" start issuing tenders for a big solar and wind power programme that envisages investment worth $30bn-$50bn by 2030, the coun- try's oil minister said. The oil-rich kingdom was also in the early stages of feasibility and design proposals for the country's first commercial nuclear power sta- tions, with a capacity of 2.8GW. Financial Times, 16 January