Rob Horgan

Public backs new grid infrastructure

Green light for SSEN’s £488m Skye power line upgrade

SSEN’s £488 million proposal to upgrade power lines between Fort Augustus and the Isle of Skye has been given the green light. Ofgem approved the plans after ruling that “there is sufficient evidence of a clear needs case for the Skye project on the basis that there is the need for asset intervention and that new generation has shown enough progress to warrant adding additional capacity to the Skye circuit”. The plans include replacing the existing single 132kV overhead line (OHL) which spans across 160km between Fort Augustus on the mainland to Ardmore on the Isle of Skye.

Saving money biggest driver for Brits switching to heat pumps

The potential to save money on their energy bills is the biggest driver for Brits looking to instal a heat pump, research by EDF has found. The report found that almost half of (49%) of Brits are looking at installing a heat pump in the future.

Inquiry launched into long-duration energy storage  

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has launched an inquiry into long-duration energy storage as part of the UK’s ambitions to decarbonise the grid. The government has set a target for a fully decarbonised electricity system by 2035. The inquiry will seek to establish whether the government has sufficient policies in place to support medium and long-duration energy storage and whether it is on track to deliver this component of a net zero energy system.

Lack of compensation for PPM ban ‘disappointing’

Energy UK has criticised Ofgem for not yet introducing a compensation mechanism for suppliers to recover debt accumulated from the ban on forced prepayment meter (PPM) installations. The trade association says that it is “disappointing that a process for suppliers to recover bad debt […] is yet to be put in place”, within its response to Ofgem’s consultation on involuntary PPM installs. Energy UK warns against proposals to broaden the scope of the ‘Do Not Install’ (DNI) category to include households including those aged over 85 or under five.

Suppliers can make a profit and offer lower prices

With energy retailers predicted to return to the black, Shakespeare Martineau solicitor and energy specialist Isaac Murdy argues that companies can turn a profit and offer customers better value. Writing for Utility Week, Murdy explains what recent measures introduced by Ofgem mean for suppliers and explains how they can navigate the market.  

On the move: SGN, Ofwat, Defra

‘Not a single person in supply chain’ thinks UK will hit net zero targets

Not a single person in the supply chain believes UK net zero targets will be achieved. That is the damning conclusion of the Energy Industries Council’s (EIC) annual Survive & Thrive report into global energy supply chains. Based on the views of 96 supply chain bosses, the EIC report concludes that “widespread delays in project funding strongly signposts that the UK is not going to meet its legally binding 2050 net zero target, and neither will Scotland meet its 2045 target”.

Northern Powergrid inks deal with Piclo Flex marketplace

Switching surge looks increasingly unlikely