Finance and investment

Hydrogen trial among latest winners of Network Innovation Competition

Baroness McIntosh: Water firms need to connect with youth to shake off ‘fat cat’ stereotype

Weekend press round-up: Thames narrows search for Robertson’s replacement

Thames Water narrows its search for Steve Robertson’s replacement, Ofgem slashes network revenues and cyber attacks target the UK’s nuclear industry – all in the latest round-up of the weekend papers.

PR19 final determination – is Ofwat for turning?

Water company shareholders may have joined the fight against Ofwat’s proposed price cuts, but it might be too little, too late, says Nigel Hawkins.

Thames rules out going offshore to swerve nationalisation

Thames Water’s CFO talks to Utility Week about investor uncertainty around nationalisation, why he is “cautiously optimistic” the company will not have to go to the CMA over PR19 and when we can expect an announcement on the company’s new chief executive.

Innogy proposes restructure for ‘unsustainable’ Npower

Npower’s domestic and small business customers will be migrated to Eon, with its industrial and commercial arm spun off. The move will see Npower’s chief executive, Paul Coffey, depart and Michael Lewis take over leadership of both companies. There will be 'significant' job cuts as a result, with unions putting the figure at 4,500.

EDF gives go-ahead to 450MW offshore windfarm

Counting the true cost of nationalisation

Despite claims to have a fully-costed manifesto, the Labour Party has given little indication of the price tag attached to one of its flagship policies – renationalisation. As part of Utility Week’s Election 2019 coverage, Nigel Hawkins analyses the numbers behind the party’s plans to take energy and water networks, as well as the supply arms of the largest energy retailers, back into public hands.

Npower losses grow as customers flee

Pennon Group growth led by waste management arm

Suppliers owe £38m in Capacity Market payments

The first list of unpaid invoices from the restarted Capacity Market has shown there is a £38.2 million deficit so far. A summary of missed payments published by the Electricity Settlements Company lists 33 suppliers who have so far failed to make a payment. Nine of these have already ceased trading.

Weekend press round-up: National Grid and SSE ‘go offshore’

This weekend's press round-up explores moves by SSE and National Grid to protect investors in the face of renationalisation threats; Scottish Power's plans for a major expansion of onshore windfarms and Dale Vince, founder of green energy supplier Ecotricity, donating to the Labour Party.

Tories to give CMA new powers to tackle ‘consumer rip-offs’

The Conservatives have pledged a fresh crackdown on energy bills while opening the door to an earlier cut-off date than 2040 for sales of petrol and diesel cars. The party’s manifesto also says the rebate on water bills would be extended in the South West in a nod to assuage what it describes as a “major source of financial pressure” for many households.

A Labour majority ‘could derail Ovo/SSE deal’

A former energy chief said while a Labour majority was unlikely, it could pose a problem for the deal. Labour announced plans to nationalise the big six energy companies in its manifesto.

H3O: The public ownership debate

As Labour unveils its manifesto and the country gears up towards the election we speak to chief executives and industry figures about what what renationalisation would mean for the water sector and why the public support it