Denise Chevin

Build Back Better: Rundown regions have most to gain

Build Back Better quick wins: Prospect’s Sue Fern on EVs and new nuclear

We continue our series leading up to an expected emergency budget by asking Sue Ferns senior deputy general secretary at the union Prospect, her views on where pace could be picked up to accelerate a green recovery.

Build Back Better quick wins: Audrey Gallacher on creating 42,000 jobs

Build Back Better quick wins: Michael Lewis on efficiency and heat pumps

Build Back Better with Utility Week

Collaborate and cut red tape – lessons from Ofgem for Ofwat’s £200m innovation fund

Ian Cameron, head of customer service and innovation for UK Power Networks, discusses the takeaways for the water sector, which has been granted a £200 million innovation fund for AMP7, from the innovation incentives in RIIO-1.

Collaborate or fail

The challenges facing water companies to make the most of the £200 million innovation fund are revealed in Utility Week’s major new insight report in association with CGI. Denise Chevin picks out some of the key themes.

Vulnerable customers ‘could suffer unintended consequences of price cap’

The introduction of the price cap is making it unsustainable for the major energy suppliers to serve their large numbers of vulnerable customers and remain profitable, it has been claimed. Chris Thewlis, chief operating officer of Npower, said a reduction in service levels was inevitable due to cost pressures as a direct result of the price cap.

Time to help the vulnerable

There were some thought-provoking debates at Utility Week’s Consumer Debt Conference. Chair, Denise Chevin, picks out her five takeaways, including the impact of zero-hour contracts, remote switching and the need to look at vulnerability in a more holistic way.

Contractors warn of AMP7 cost pressures

Leading contractors have aired their concerns about the impact of cost pressures imposed on the water companies for the next price control period. Representatives of Tier 1 contractors told Utility Week of their fears that there could be a knock-on effect on the decarbonisation agenda.