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UTILITY WEEK | 23RD - 29TH JUNE 2017 | 5 "The industry takes the health and safety of its customers extremely seriously" Energy UK on concerns about safety compromises in the rush to install smart meters. See story p9 "A strong plan of action will be required to compensate for the loss of Rough, the largest flexible gas storage facility in the UK" Matt Osborne, principal risk manager, Inenco, following Centrica Storage's announcement that its North Sea facility will close permanently After four years and a DKK 6 billion investment in two offshore wind farms, the Lego Group has achieved its ambition to balance 100 per cent of its energy use with energy from renewable sources. To celebrate, the company has built the world's largest Lego brick wind turbine. It has also challenged children around the world to create their own renewable energy solutions. WATER UU faces charges over 2015 crypto outbreak United Utilities is facing charges over a cryptosporidium outbreak that affected about 700,000 people in Lancashire in 2015. The company has received a summons from the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), and a full court case will start on 30 June. United Utilities (UU) said it has taken a "full and open role" with DWI during its investigation and "complied with all requests for information". The DWI said it cannot share information or discuss the prosecution before the court case is over, but that details of the case "will be made available on request" at the conclusion of the court session. On 6 August 2015, UU began advising customers in Preston, South Ribble, Chorley and the Fylde coast to boil their water for all drinking and eating purposes after traces of cryptosporidium were detected during routine tests at Franklaw water treatment works. UU flushed through 2,500 miles of pipes and storage reservoirs to get rid of the cryptosporidium parasite, and deployed portable ultraviolet equipment to kill off remaining traces. The incident, which lasted 30 days, cost the company about £25 million in compensation payouts to more than 300,000 customers. There was widespread speculation in the media that a dead pheasant caught in UU's pipe network was the source of the outbreak. This has not been officially recognised by DWI. Responding to a freedom of information request from Utility Week, the DWI said it was withholding the source of the contamination as "release of interim findings before the completion of an investigation would be likely to be prejudicial to the course of justice". ENERGY Electron wins pioneer status Blockchain start-up Electron has been awarded "Technology Pioneer" status by the World Economic Forum (WEF). The firm is developing a platform using distributed ledger technology to enable consumers to switch energy provider in seconds. Among its directors is former Npower chief executive Paul Massara. Electron is one of just two UK companies to be recognised in WEF's annual listing of gamechanging enterprises. About 30 companies from around the world were recognised overall. "We welcome Electron in this group of extraordinary innovators," said Fulvia Montresor, head of technology pioneers at WEF. 6.2% The minimum capacity margin anticipated by National Grid for the coming winter. Its upper- most estimate is 8.2 per cent. National Grid calculated its forthcoming winter margin using underlying demand rather than transmission demand for the first time this year. 10 Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks recommended 10 sites in its license area receive funding from a £500 million Ofgem- administered pot to reduce their visual impact. 121MW The combined capacity of community energy projects in the UK, according to a report from Community Energy England. More on p25 5 New principles to govern the way energy suppliers market their products to customers became enforceable on 23 June. More on p14