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In a week of big news, the Conservatives start putting their anti-onshore wind plans into action, while reform to the troubled smart meter rollout was once again called for. In the water sector, battle moves were afoot with Business Stream starting to roll out its own grand plans in England.
Rudd’s blow to onshore wind
The long-awaited move by energy secretary Amber Rudd to “halt the spread” of onshore wind arrived this week when she unveiled plans to end the Renewables Obligation support for the technology a year earlier than planned. The industry hit back at the early shutdown of the RO, but investors closer to the final decisions state that the generous grace period for up to 5.2GW, something the Scottish government called for, means the impact is going to be less severe than first thought.
Changes needed in smart meter rollout
Speaking exclusively to Utility Week last week, Labour peer Lord Whitty said the smart meter rollout should include a Green Deal assessment for each home. He claimed this would produce a “step-change” in the energy efficiency sector and could be implemented in 18 months’ time. One industry expert rejected this, claiming the move would “jeopardise” the entire smart meter rollout.
Also calling for a change to the smart meter rollout, but this time urging government to introduce an Olympics-style coordinating body, was Smart Energy GB chair Baroness McDonagh. Writing exclusively for Utility Week, she said that the digitising of Britain’s “creaking energy system is simply too important to be left to chance” and a coordinating body would provide the overarching leadership currently lacking in the programme.
Water gets feisty
Business Stream took a big step into the English market – almost two years ahead of market opening – when it secured contracts for three House of Fraser stores. Chief executive Johanna Dow then told Utility Week the win is part of a bigger move to get a foothold in England before the market opens, a strategy which could see the water retailer bid for the non-household book of an English incumbent with plans to exit the market.
Ofwat also came out with a report stating that, while the regulated water companies have made progress with the transparency of their governance procedures, there is still more to be done by their holding companies.
And finally…
On Monday Utility Week published a special report looking at 25 Years of Electricity Privatisation. Find the full report here.
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