Company strategy

SSEN launches ‘urgent review’, as Ofgem refuses £258m of funding

The energy regulator has turned down a series of projects from electricity distribution network companies, totalling £258 million. However, it has approved £64 million for other projects.

It’s good to talk

Eon says price cap has hurt ‘broken’ retail market

A senior figure at Eon, which has this week announced a proposal to cut 500 to 600 UK jobs, has described the energy retail market as “broken”, saying the price cap is driving retailers out of the market because they cannot see a sustainable future.

Foundations laid for water sector commitments

Breaking Ground: SSEN’s £5m Moray upgrade; UKPN takes 3km cables underground and other projects

Utility Week takes a look at some of the projects happening around the sector. This week SSEN announced a £5m deal to upgrade its network in Moray.

Code administrators are losing trust

Satisfaction with energy code administrators has fallen over the past year, a new survey has shown. The report sets out the key concerns, while the best rated administrator says the results show the need to consolidate and simplify the system.

On the move: CCC; Business Stream and Octopus

As well as Octopus Energy appointing a tech evangelist to its team, Business Stream has appointed a new non-executive director to its board. Utility Week takes a look at these and some of the other recent appointments made across the sector.

Electricity North West tenders flexibility services

The North West network operator issued 52MW of tenders last year. It has also announced areas for potential future flexibility.

Octopus Energy acquires home energy management platform

Octopus Energy has acquired a home energy management platform to drive automation for its customers. The challenger energy brand has also taken on the tech firm's CEO.

Good Energy trials EV load balancing service

Renewable energy supplier Good Energy has launched a trial of its business EV chargers in Cornwall. Learnings from this trial will be used when the company rolls out the platform nationwide.

Shared learning in serving vulnerable customers

Exploring the ethics of big data

ASA makes landmark ruling over ‘flushable’ Andrex wet wipes claims

The advertising regulator has upheld a complaint against the way Andrex presented information about whether its Washlets could safely be put down the toilet.

Decarbonisation of heat ‘will result in mass disruption for customers’

Ofgem chief executive Dermot Nolan has warned that the difficulties of the smart meter rollout show the level of challenge ahead “whichever path we go down on heat”. He also discussed how the regulatory framework will have to evolve to take account of mass EV take-up.

We should be intensely relaxed about a permanent energy price cap

In response to a Utility Week piece regarding the future of the energy price cap Greg Jackson, chief executive of Octopus Energy, makes the case for a permanent price cap. He cites the comparison with the minimum wage and its effect on employment.