Page 7 - Gi June/July 2019

industry & government news

UK’S FRACKING TSAR RESIGNS, SAYING

SCIENCE IS BEING OVERLOOKED

Cuadrilla, the only company so far
to carry out fracking in Britain, was
CUADRILLA
unable to complete tests of a shale gas
exploration well at a site near Blackpool
last year after triggering a number of
earth tremors above 0.5, forcing it to
suspend work.
The company admitted in February
that it was in effect impossible to
produce shale gas commercially
within the rules. Both Cuadrilla and
Ineos, which also hopes to frack in
England, have been lobbying the
government and industry regulator,
CUADRILLA’S PREESE HALL SITE the Oil and Gas Authority, to review
the regulations on seismicity.
THE GOVERNMENT’S FRACKING tsar reports The Financial Times. Ineos has warned that it
has quit, claiming policy was being Ms Engel, who carried out could abandon its fracking plans in the
driven by “environmental lobbying consultancy work for shale gas UK unless the government’s rules are
rather than science”. company Ineos in 2017, said the relaxed. A spokesperson said: “Ineos
Natascha Engel, a former Labour industry was being killed in the UK by shares Natascha Engel’s frustration at
MP and Deputy Speaker, told Business Mr Clark’s refusal to review the limit a lack of government action to develop
Secretary Greg Clark that she was for earth tremors caused by fracking, a policy environment that would allow
resigning as Commissioner for Shale which is 0.5 on the Richter scale. this fledgling industry to develop for the
Gas after just six months in the job, She wrote: “A 0.5 tremor is much good of the UK economy.”
complaining that “a perfectly viable weaker than the rumble you might feel Ms Engel’s resignation comes as
industry is being wasted”. when walking above a Tube train. Yet pressure grows on the government to
Her resignation came ahead of a if a frack unleashes a tremor rated 0.5, dramatically cut carbon emissions,
government report by its climate operators have to stop what they are with shale gas exploration among
change committee on how Britain can doing for 18 hours.” She said this made the targets of recent climate change
reduce its carbon emissions to zero, operations impossible. protests in London.

ENERGY PROVIDER SOLARPLICITY BANNED

FROM TAKING ON NEW CUSTOMERS

ENERGY PROVIDER SOLARPLICITY the regulator said it “has not seen the
has been banned from taking on new required improvements elsewhere”.
customers due to its poor switching Measures Ofgem has recommended
process and customer service. include ensuring customer contact
Regulator Ofgem has imposed a channels are improved, managed and ENERGY MINNOWS MAY BE OUT OF THEIR DEPTH
three-month ban on the company, maintained, with queries and issues will take the necessary steps to ensure
which will only be lifted if the firm being resolved in a timely manner, and customers are further protected and
“significantly improves”. making sure the switching process goes will take the relevant action needed to
The watchdog said Solarplicity’s smoothly, with switches completed do this, which may result in its licence
customer service “has been poor for a within the required timescales. being revoked.”
number of months”, according to The Mary Starks, Executive Director of A Solarplicity spokesperson said:
Independent. Consumers and Markets at Ofgem, “We are committed to meeting
Between March and September last said: “We have taken action against the expectations of every single
year there was an unacceptably high Solarplicity to protect its customers Solarplicity customer, but Ofgem’s
proportion of calls abandoned and from experiencing further detriment. decision, which was made on old
unacceptably long call waiting times, “Solarplicity must get its house in historical data, disregards the vast
Ofgem said. order and provide a level of service improvements that we have made to
Although call handling has improved, that its customers expect. If not, Ofgem our customer service.”

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News.indd 2 16/05/2019 13:37