Blackpool Council granted water self-supply licence

It hopes to reduce costs through monitoring and cutting water consumption

Blackpool Council applies to manage own water supply

Blackpool Council could become the first public sector organisation to manage its own water and sewerage supply, after applying for a licence from regulator Ofwat. If granted, the move will enable the council to manage its own retail services for more than 120 sites across the borough. It is estimated the move will achieve cost […]

Premier Inn owner books self-supply retail water licence

The owner of brands such as Premier Inn, Costa Coffee and Beefeater has become the first hospitality multinational to be granted a self-supply licence in the new water market. With the opening of the retail water market earlier this year, eligible organisations can now self-supply and manage their own water retail services, such as meter […]

Shell plans to enter UK power market

Shell Energy Europe has announced plans to enter the UK power market. It has applied for a licence to supply electricity to industrial and commercial businesses in Britain. The oil giant plans to start signing them up now to start providing them with power early next year. Jonathan McCloy, General Manager North West Europe at […]

Gas supplier subsidiary granted water retail licence

A subsidiary of Regent Gas has been granted a water retail licence by Ofwat. That will allow Regent Water to participate in the open water market when it opens in England and Wales in April this year. Around 1.2 million businesses and public sector organisations will be able to choose who they pay for their […]

Indian Supreme Court cancels 214 illegal coal licences

The Supreme Court of India has cancelled 214 of the 218 coal mining licences awarded by the government in the past two decades. It declared the licences illegal last month as they didn’t go through a “fair and transparent” process. Only four of the units awarded between 1993 and 2011, which are linked to major […]

DECC opens new round for North Sea oil licences

A fresh spate of oil and gas activity in the UK is on the horizon as the 28th round for businesses to apply for licences to drill in the North Sea has opened. The UK oil and gas sector already supports around 350,000 jobs and attracted “a record” £14 billion last year. The Government expects […]

DECC issues 167 new North Sea licences

The UK Government has issued 167 new licences for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea and claims interest in the region from investors is at “record breaking levels”. DECC announced the winners of the 27th Licensing Round today covering 330 North Sea blocks, with a further 61 blocks under environmental assessment. It received […]

EDF pay £4.5m after Ofgem investigation

An Ofgem investigation has found Big Six supplier EDF guilty of breaching its marketing licence conditions. As a result EDF has “agreed” to invest £4.5 million to offer help to vulnerable customers. The regulator says the company was not fined because it maintained a “constructive and cooperative” dialogue and acknowledged its shortcomings. Ofgem said in […]

NuGen applies for electricity generation licence

NuGen has taken the next step towards building its new nuclear power station by applying to Ofgem for an electricity generation licence. The joint venture between France’s GDF Suez and Spanish utility Iberdrola is developing a next generation nuclear plant of up to 3.6GW which it plans to build in West Cumbria. A spokesperson for […]