A small but growing number of smart meter installs are being done to replace recently-installed smart meters, rather than substituting for dumb ‘legacy’ meters, it has emerged. The issue is so-called ‘Smets 1′ meters, which cannot always continue to operate…
Author Archive for New Power
3i taps more methane: cash injection for Infinis to acquire Alkane
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3i Infrastructure has announced plans to invest an additional £125 million in Infinis so it can acquire Alkane Energy. Infinis is the largest generator of electricity from landfill gas in the UK, in which 3i Infrastructure invested in December 2016.…
Work starts at Achlachan wind farm
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Construction has begun on the Achlachan wind farm, one of 15 onshore wind projects to secure a Contract of Difference in 2015. The 10MW, five turbine project is scheduled to be commissioned in early January 2019. Developer Whirlwind Renewables signed a 15-year power purchase…
OPINION: You’ll regret Ofgem for its competence
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Franck Latrémolière says years of experience in commercial matters related to electricity networks have given him an insight into what doesn’t work. That includes some of the conclusions of the Helm review The Helm review contains some radical ideas…
Mynydd y Gwynt refusal upheld
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The Appeal Court has upheld a High Court judge’s decision that the secretary of state could refuse to grant a Development Consent Order for the Mynydd y Gwynt wind farm because the developer provided insufficient information to approve it. The…
Do we need more gas storage?
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The last week has shown up the weaknesses of our gas supply. Or the strengths, depending on how you look at it. Gas prices spiked. But that’s the way the market works: at a time of shortage, prices rise and…
Northern Powergrid announces plan to cut network losses
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Northern Powergrid has announced a new plan to forecast and reduce losses on its power network. Distribution network operators (DNOs) are required to reduce losses and until the current price review period they had financial incentives to do so. However,…
Malaysian power company acquires UK FIT wind portfolio
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Malaysia’s power company, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has acquired 80% of two UK renewable energy companies – GVO Wind and Bluemerang Capital – for £171 million. This acquisition, via wholly owned subsidiary, Tenaga Wind Ventures UK, is TNB’s first foray into onshore…
National Grid seeks demand response to maintain gas supply levels
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The gas system operator has issued a Gas Deficit Warning, asking for bids to reduce gas demand as it is predicting a shortfall at the end of the day. The warning was issued at 5.30AM in response to a series of…
CMA opens investigation into Npower/SSE Retail merger
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The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened an investigation into the merger between SSE Retail and Npower and whether it damages competition in the energy supply market. It is inviting written representations to be made by 14 March. The…