Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 23RD - 29TH MARCH 2018 | 3 This week 4 | Seven days 6 | Interview Andrew Beasley, managing director, Flow Energy 10 Policy & Regulation 10 | News MP 'lobbied' Ofgem over RHI application 11 | Chief executive's view Chris Train, Cadent 12 | Analysis Ofwat scrutinises water companies for supply interruption performance 14 | CEO Insight The first in a series of exclusive research pieces into the priorities of utility chief executives 17 | Comment Abbie Sampson, Energy UK 18 | Market view Energy price capping means more than lower energy bills 21 Finance & Investment 21 | News Anglian to up clarity and cut dividends 22 Operations & Assets 22 | Event The Utility Week-Wipro Technology and Innovation Council dinner 24 | Comment Roger Hey, Western Power Distribution 25 Customers 25 | News Government in smart meter 'la la land' 27 | Market view Learning lessons from retail 28 | Market view Challenger energy firms must learn to embrace smart innovation 30 Community 31 | Disconnector GAS 11 | Chief executive's view Chris Train, Cadent WATER 12 | Analysis Ofwat scrutinises water companies for supply interruption performance 21 | News Anglian to up clarity and cut dividends ELECTRICITY 10 | News MP 'lobbied' Ofgem over RHI application 14 | CEO Insight The priorities of utility chief executives 22 | Event The Utility Week-Wipro dinner 24 | Comment Roger Hey, WPD 25 | News Government in smart meter 'la la land' ENERGY 6 | Interview Andrew Beasley, MD, Flow Energy 17 | Comment Abbie Sampson, Energy UK 18 | Market view Energy price capping means more than lower energy bills 27 | Market view Learning lessons from retail 28 | Market view Challenger energy firms must learn to embrace smart innovation Pitney Bowes: Make self service smarter and more engaging http://bit.ly/2nAa2rC CGI: Demand side flexibility in UK utilities http://bit.ly/2hrMapA Knowledge worth Keeping Visit the DownloaDs section of Utility week's website http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/ downloads Cyber-attack is an ever-growing threat Cyber threats have long concerned utility chief executives but this week, as diplomatic temperatures between Russia and the UK plunged to Siberian levels, the question of "when" not "if " rose to high alert. Weekend press reports claimed UK utilities have been warned to guard against an assault on the nation's key energy infrastructure and supply, and no one in authority is denying it. Of course, in today's world updates to cyber-security guidance and threat levels are nothing out of the ordinary. But in the light of concurrent geopolitical manoeuvring, this weekend's intervention from the National Cyber Security Centre feels chillingly different. Energy chiefs will be all too keenly aware of the growing prec- edents being set around the globe that put companies like their own in the line of fire when it comes to cyber conflict. The shock wake-up call of the Ukraine blackout in 2015 – when a hacker attack believed to have been linked to the Kremlin le 250,000 customers of three energy distribution companies without power – has not gone away. Indeed, it has been compounded by subsequent attacks and attempted attacks, including an assault on UK energy companies last November. Utilities know cyber threats are now a constant part of their real- ity and that the consequences of a breach to their defences could be catastrophic for the organisation, customers and national interests. Incremental realisations of this fact have led, over time, to the appointment of dedicated cyber-threat professionals throughout the energy and water sectors who hold an ongoing dialogue with national security services, including top-level briefings with MI5 and anti-terrorism authorities in times of crisis. But even with these protocols in place, industry leaders are likely to be in a state of "heightened awareness" while UK-Russian rela- tions remain fraught. It's unclear just how far new sanctions might go and what official and unofficial responses they might provoke from Russia. It's difficult to say what companies might be expected to do dif- ferently in this precarious situation. But certainly, vigilance is key and there has never been a better time to ensure response policies and procedures are rigorously rehearsed, ensuring all employees know their responsibilities in the eventuality of a real attack. Aer all, as cyber warfare and the threat thereof become the norm when nation states fall out, utilities will be on the front line. Suzanne Heneghan, associate editor, suzanneheneghan@fav-house.com Leader Suzanne Heneghan

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