Utility Week - Latest News

Water firms and partners can bid for Brussels innovation funds from July

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The European Commission expects to agree "substantial" funding within days for a proposed programme to speed up innovation in drinking and waste water management.

South East Water warns of worsening water shortage

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

South East Water has warned it may have to ask to apply additional drought measures that could see customers hit with hosepipe bans.

Decc offers new FITs proposals but will not withdraw appeal

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Department for Energy and Climate Change will go ahead with an appeal to the Supreme Court over plans to cut subsidies for solar photovoltaics.

Labour: help the water poor

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Labour is calling on government to do more to help households with rising water bills.

Severn Trent pays out £30,000 for sewage flooding fishing lake

Wed, 8 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Severn Trent has been slapped with a £24,000 fine and £6,884 costs for polluting a fishing lake for the fourth time in seven years.

UK revenues down at International Power

Wed, 8 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

International Power's UK-Europe revenues decreased 4 per cent to €3,618 with earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation down 14 per cent.

Davey creates Decc energy efficiency policy team

Wed, 8 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A new team tasked with delivering better energy efficiency policy has been set up within the Department of Energy and Climate Change by energy and climate change secretary Ed Davey.

Developer seeks local comment on gas storage plans

Wed, 8 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Halite Energy, the company behind plans for a condensed underground gas storage facility at Preesall, has called on people around its Lancashire site to participate in the next stage of the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) process and register with the IPC to make a representation about the

SW Water pays out £33,000 for pollution offences

Wed, 8 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

South West Water has been ordered to pay £33,000 in fines and costs for neglecting three of its smaller sewage treatment works.

Water firms celebrate apprentices

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Water companies are recognising young people's skills and achievements for National Apprenticeship Week.

Which? calls on customers to join 'Big Switch' to cut energy prices - 10,000 sign up

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Which? wants to harness consumers' collective purchasing power to get a better deal on energy prices.

Baltic states consider closer electricity links with EU

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Europan Union (EU) Council of Ministers is seeking an agreement with Russia and Belarus that would better coordinate the operation of their electricity systems with those of the three Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Grants from local energy fund for 155 projects

Mon, 6 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Ed Davey, the new secretary of state at the Department of Energy and Climate Change, also 155 community energy projects that have each won a share of £5.1 million of funding from the Local Energy Assessment Fund.

Green vision for new Cheddar Reservoir

Mon, 6 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Bristol Water has pledged to make its planned new Cheddar Reservoir "even more important for biodiversity" than its existing site.

Doubt hangs over competitive retail market opening date

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Industry insiders and commentators expressed scepticism yesterday over whether the government's planned competitive retail market can be ready by the regulator's preferred opening date.

Ed Davey is new energy secretary

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Ed Davey, MP for Kingston & Surbiton and former minister for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs is to replace Chris Huhne as energy secretary.

Huhne charged with perverting course of justice - and quits

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Energy secretary Chris Huhne has been charged with perverting the course of justice by the Crown Prosecution Service. Huhne is accused of persuading his then wife Vicky Pryce to claim that she was responsible for one of his speeding offences.

Water affordability bill to enable subsidy payments to South West customers gets first reading

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A bill that would enable government subsidies to be paid to South West Water customers has had its first reading in the House of Commons today.

Energy Innovation Centre given acess to £30 million to fund smart grid entrepreneurs

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A technology incubator has been given access to almost £30 million by energy regulator Ofgem to bring smart grid technologies to market.

Barker says feed-in tariffs will rise for microCHP

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Energy and climate Change minister Greg Barker said today that higher subsidies for micro combined heat and power (microCHP) under the feed-in tariff scheme would soon be raised.