ENERGYEYEProspect members in energy and decommissioning

www.prospect.org.uk • Issue 3, September 2013

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Raising the bar – support-ing skills and professional careers BRANCHES across the energy sector are rising to the union’s Young Reps Challenge, but it is vital keep our eye on the ball, says deputy general sec-retary Garry Graham.

The aim of the year-long challenge is for all branches, sec-tions and sub-sections to have at least one rep under the age of 30 on their committee by conference next year.

Graham said: “The challenge has been running for just under three months and already we have seen great results with new young reps coming forward within EDF Energy and National Grid.

“Across the wider union new young professionals’ networks are being formed and the NEC has included a young member on its delegation to the Trades Unions Congress this month. But it is im-portant to ensure that the campaign remains at the top of committee meeting agendas.

“Prospect has been at the forefront of championing and supporting the skills agenda across the energy sector with the need for effective workforce planning, replenishment and renewal.

“Our members are rightfully proud of their contribution and the critical importance of their industry to the UK economy. Some of the de-mographics within the industry are truly daunting and we have warned for some time of skills shortages and the need to take action.

“By working together we can make sure that skills and the needs of young professionals are a key part of our agenda as a union in order to develop and support high quality jobs and careers for our members.”

Caithness: home to a unique skill setPROSPECT GENERAL secretary Mike Clancy discussed some of the initiatives already underway to retain high quality jobs in Caithness when he met members at Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd.

Last month’s fact-finding visit was to inform the union’s plan to lobby for a long-term economic future for the area after the decommissioning of the Dounreay site is complete.

Clancy said: “Prospect has represented Dounreay workers since the plant was first established in the 1950s and intends to do so for a very long time. It is essential that the skills and capabilities developed by the workforce here are not wasted when the decommissioning programme comes to an end.

“We will use our influence in all political arenas to put forward the case for investment in infrastructure and high quality jobs for the area.”

During a meeting with Dounreay’s new managing director Mark Rouse, Clancy, national secretary Alan Denney and Prospect reps discussed the feasibility of turning the area into decommissioning a centre of excellence.

Denney said: “Rouse was very clear that he views the work being undertaken at Dounreay as trail-

blazing and that the skills being developed here should be retained in Caithness and honed for the benefit of the wider energy community for use in decommissioning projects in the UK and beyond.”

Clancy also met Thurso commu-nity leaders and representatives from the Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership where the idea of diversifying the skills base to include other energy sources, such as offshore wind and marine, was warmly welcomed.

Minister voices support for new nuclearDEPUTY GENERAL secretary Garry Graham met with the energy minister Michael Fallon shortly before the parliamentary recess.

The aim of the meeting was to reinforce the message about the need for a balanced energy policy, including nuclear new build, and a long-term storage solution for waste.

Speaking afterwards Graham said: “We voiced our

concerns about the delays in reaching agreement on the strike price for new nuclear and our support for a long-term storage solution in terms of waste”.

While the strike price negotiations are on-going and remain confidential, Graham welcomed the support voiced by the minister over the crucial role new nuclear has to play in the energy mix of the

future and the importance of nuclear expertise to the UK economy and its place as world leader in the field.

He said: “The minister has clearly been impressed by the expertise and professionalism he has seen. But what we need now are firm undertakings that will allow the necessary investment to take place to secure our energy needs for the future.”

■■ Above■l-r:■Mike■Clancy,■Dounreay■member■Robert■Kennedy■and■Alan■Denney■tour■the■site■during■their■recent■visit

Prospect • EnergyEye – September 2013

■■ Childs■–■there■are■suitable■alternatives■to■the■company’s■option

PROSPECT’S FEARS about the potential consequences of Ofgem’s treatment of pension costs in price control reviews have been realised by developments in a major employer in the electricity industry.

National Grid is reviewing its defined benefit pension schemes as a result of the way future pension costs are funded under the latest transmission review – the first to use the RIIO method. (Revenue = Incentives + Innovation + Outputs.)

Prospect pensions officer Neil Walsh said: “The company is blaming Ofgem, and its approach to pension costs, for the need to review its defined benefit pensions, while Ofgem is saying that it does not require any changes to pension provision.

“Ofgem’s approach has not been helpful; indeed it has given the impression that it is against defined benefit pension provision and in favour of levelling down pension provision across the industry.

“However, we are clear that even under RIIO, companies still have choices about the pension provision they offer and members expect a robust defence of pension arrangements.”

National Grid has set out its case for changes in presentations to all staff. Prospect has requested a large amount of information in order to examine the proposals and held detailed discussions with the company and other unions.

Risk to protected personsLEGISLATION to reform the state pension system is progressing through parliament without clarifying the potential impact on protections for people working in the electricity and nuclear industries, Prospect has warned.

The reforms involve allowing employers to unilaterally adjust pension benefits to make up for the proposed abolition of employer national insurance rebates for providing good quality final-salary pension schemes.

The government consulted on whether such a power should apply to workers covered by ‘protected persons’ status, as this would contravene assurances given to workers when the electricity, and other industries, were privatised.

The consultation closed in March, and the relevant bill has already completed pre-legislative scrutiny and committee stage in the House of Commons. Yet the government has still not said whether this ‘statutory override’ could apply to ‘protected persons’.

Prospect pensions officer Neil Walsh said: “The union has consistently argued that undermining the ‘protected persons’ regulations would be extremely counter-productive. We raised these points in the submission to the original consultation and in wider comments on the bill.

“It is not acceptable that the bill has already completed committee stage without an announcement on such an important issue.

“We strongly reject the case for undermining ‘protected persons’ regulations but if this is the decision the government makes then it should be done in good time to be properly considered by both Houses of Parliament.”

Prospect will continue to lobby on this and other aspects of the bill.

■■ To■view■Prospect’s■submission■visit■http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/00374■or■http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2013/01002■to■see■the■union’s■comments■on■the■Pensions■Bill.

National Grid pensions under fire after transmission price review

National secretary Philippa Childs said: “Members are telling us very clearly that they are not convinced by the argument the company has made. The unions believe there are more suitable alternatives to the options the company is looking at.

“Different members have different forms of pension provision and protection but we believe it is possible to offer extensive protections to all defined benefit pension scheme members as well as obtaining improvements for defined contribution members through this process.

“The wider implications for the industry are not lost on those involved in the discussions. That is a further reason for the robustness of the union response.”

Fast-track could benefit distribution firmsAS a key part of the RIIO price control process, regulated companies can opt to be assessed using a fast-track system if they submit a robust business plan.

Fast-tracking allows companies more time to plan and therefore greater certainty about the future as changes for the April 2015 price change can be introduced with more consultation. The experience of the RIIO process for electricity transmission so far has been that issues over pensions have arisen for companies not fast-tracked, rather than two that were.

For electricity distribution companies, business plans were submitted in July and a decision on fast-tracking will be made in November.

PRICE CONTROL REVIEW IN PROGRESS

Prospect • EnergyEye – September 2013

2 PENSION NEWS

THE SELLAFIELD Workers’ Campaign (SWC) has been very active over the last few months attending meetings with energy minister Baroness Verma along with senior officials from the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Sellafield Ltd and other key stakeholders aligned to the industry.

Some high-profile topics have been discussed, including the review of the Managing Radioactive Waste Safely process and selection of a possible site for a geological disposal facility.

This follows Cumbria County Council’s decision to veto west Cumbria as a possible location for a geological disposal facility after blocking further scientific investigations into its feasibility at the beginning of the year.

But SWC maintain doing nothing is not an option. We need to find a solution for the waste, 80 per cent of which is already on the Sellafield site.

Plutonium disposition seminarSWC believes that the Sellafield workforce, the people of Cumbria, key national stakeholders, local and national government officials and parliamentarians will benefit from an exchange of information.

With this in mind we have arranged a one-day plutonium disposition seminar in November, to provide a

COMMUNITIES BENEFIT FROM NEW NUCLEAR SITESAROUND eight sites earmarked for new nuclear power stations in the England and Wales could be given a package of taxpayer-funded benefits under new government plans.

The benefits could mean up to £128m for the area around the proposed Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset.

Announcing the package in July, energy minister Michael Fallon said: “It is absolutely essential that we recognise the contributions of those communities that host major new energy projects...

“It’s proportionate to the scale and lifespan of new nuclear power stations and it builds on the major economic benefits they will bring in terms of jobs, investment and use of local services.”

The measures build on the government’s business rates retention scheme, introduced in April. Under the first phase of the scheme, local authorities that host new nuclear plants will be able to keep half of the business

rates collected from the plant for the first 10 years.

In the second phase, expected to take place between 2030 and 2060, the communities will be funded directly from central government.

As business rates are a devolved matter, and do not apply in Wales, the government plans to work with the Welsh Government on an equivalent package for the communities surrounding any new plant at Wylfa.

But the plans have come under fire from some quarters. Dr Doug Parr, chief scientist at

Greenpeace UK, described the scheme as evidence that UK energy policy is “now absurdly distorted.” He said: “While wind farms and even shale gas developers have to pay community benefits, only nuclear stations will get a fat taxpayer subsidy to fund them.”

However deputy general secretary Garry Graham said it was a measured approach which would provide, in the long-term, value for money in terms of economic benefits and security of supply.

greater understanding of the technological options and the benefits that can be gained from each.

The government is currently considering what to do with the plutonium that is already safely and securely stored at Sellafield. As part of this review, the NDA has been asked to consider three options for its reuse:

● as MOX – mixed oxide fuel and the preferred option ● in CANDU – short for CANada Deuterium Uranium – a

Canadian-invented, pressurised heavy water reactor ● in PRISM – short for Power Reactor Innovative Small

Module – a reactor design by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy.The seminar will explore the merits of each technology.

Other key points to be examined include the options for managing plutonium; delivery of the current strategy; research into plutonium disposition currently being undertaken by the National Nuclear Laboratory; and the future economy of west Cumbria.

SWC will also present its newly-launched Blueprint: Sellafield at the heart of a low-carbon future, which includes several recommendations to government in order to ensure Sellafield plays a full and productive role in any future low-carbon economy.

We will also be taking our message to the political conferences throughout the autumn.

Unions at Sellafield have been turning their attention to the thorny question of a solution to the problem of nuclear waste. Sellafield branch secretary Steve Nicholson reports

Nuclear waste: doing nothing is not an option

■■ Nicholson■–■We■need■to■find■a■solution■for■the■waste

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Prospect • EnergyEye – September 2013

3NEWS

POWER STATIONS at Peterhead in Scotland, and Drax’s White Rose project in Yorkshire, are at the cutting edge of the UK’s carbon capture and storage (CCS) commercialisation programme.

Peterhead is a full-scale gas CCS project, potentially capturing up to 10 million tonnes of CO2 annually. Drax involves a newly built coal-fired power station equipped with oxyfuel combustion and CCS technology.

Given its location in the industrial Aire Valley, the White Rose project has perhaps the greater potential to kick start a regional CCS network, picking up carbon emissions from power stations and industry, such as the nearby Tata steelworks. The global prize for successful carbon capture is enormous. CCS is not only a vital transitional technology to help control carbon emissions, it could turn into a multi-billion pound industry.

The big questionFor the TUC the big question is whether the government is supporting CCS at the pace and scale needed? The independent Committee on Climate Change, which advises government, estimates 1 that decarbonising our power sector will require approximately 18-20 gigawatts of CCS fixed to coal and gas power stations by 2030.

Philip Pearson, senior policy officer at the TUC, examines the benefits and barriers to carbon capture and storage in the UK

Will we capture the benefits of CCS?

This conclusion is based on the carbon intensity of various forms of fossil, nuclear and renewable energy, and assumes a workable generation mix of 40 per cent nuclear, 40 per cent renewables, 15 per cent CCS, and around five per cent unabated gas-fired generation by 2030.

We will need more electric power by 2030 for domestic heating and rail and road transport, including electric vehicles. With a forecast power generation capacity of about 125 gw by 2030, this equates to 18-20 gw of CCS for coal and gas 2.

Clearly, this is a huge challenge. But it’s no longer primarily a technological one. The Carbon Capture and Storage Association reckons that the power sector has the essential CCS technology in development, principally through well understood and developed processes – pre- and post-combustion and oxy-fuel technologies.

The main barriers to developing CCS now appear to be around the formation and implementation of government energy policy. The two key strands of government support are its electricity market reforms, expressed in the Energy Bill now before Parliament, and the CCS commercialisation programme. The TUC believes that these two processes must work together now, not in sequence, to ensure the maximum momentum and technological advance.

Initially, the TUC and trade unions welcomed the Energy Bill. Mike Clancy, Prospect general secretary,

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■■ CCS■could■benefit■heavy■industry■such■as■this■blast■furnace■

at■the■Sahaviriya■Steel■Industries■plant■in■Redcar,■North■Yorkshire

CCS

Prospect • EnergyEye – September 2013

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RWE npower: more change aheadFURTHER change is on the cards at RWE npower. In March full-scale generation stopped at Didcot A and Fawley power stations and Tilbury B saw its last day of operation last month. It follows a decision not to proceed with its development as a biomass fuelled plant.

The conversion would have given the site another 10 to 12 operational years. But confirmation that it would not qualify for the new Contract for Difference support mechanism sealed its fate as the company decided it would no longer be viable under the existing renewable obligation mechanism.

At the same time, staff working in the retail arm of the company have received notification from management highlighting a new

drive to seek further efficiencies.Prospect negotiator Kevin Warden

said: “The statement talked about a need to be ‘relentless’ in the pursuit for continuous improvement while focusing on customers’ needs. But the true meaning was quantified with talk of reshaping and improving working methods which will be ‘difficult’ and have an ‘impact’ on staff.”

Warden said the first declared change will be the consolidation of the company’s operating sites from 26 to around 10 within the next five years, although it is not yet certain which will close.

While the changes, at present, relate mainly to the wider RWE network of UK companies, such as IT and technology, the union is keeping a watching brief on developments.

NEW REPORT CALLS FOR THE END OF COALAN independent group of parliamen-tarians and industry representatives has called for the UK’s coal-fired power stations to be shut down.

A report from Carbon Connect, chaired by former energy minister Charles Hendry and Baroness Worthington, Labour’s energy spokeswoman in the Lords, says Britain should switch to gas if it is to meet its greenhouse gas emission targets.

Power from Fossil Fuels, calls for more incentives to support gas-fired power generation, claiming it is more environmentally friendly and provides a better complement to lower-carbon nuclear and renewable electricity.

It suggests that gas-power generation will provide enough capacity to keep the lights on during the next decade without coal. It also

claims that the prospects for shale gas are “highly uncertain and unlikely to give the UK cheap gas”.

Cheap coal imports have lead to its increased use in recent years, causing some gas-fired power stations to be mothballed.

Analysis of figures from the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme for 2012 show that Britain’s emissions rose by more than any other country, at 4.7%, and have risen by over 11% in three years.

The report is the first of three aimed at exploring the role fossil fuels, renewables and nuclear can play in meeting the government’s objectives of providing sustainable, secure and affordable power.

■■ View■the■report■at■www.policyconnect.org.uk/cc/home

said: “Proposals to establish Contracts for Difference and a capacity market are important reforms and the establishment of a government-owned counterparty should provide greater security for potential investors.

“But the lack of a decarbonisation target in the bill is perhaps the biggest disappointment. It will be important to ensure that the government actually utilises the powers that will be available to it to set a decarbonisation range in 2016.”

The lack of a clear 2030 decarbonisation target continues to dog the bill’s progress. As it was passing through the House of Lords in June, Baroness Worthington remarked:

“A grand bargain had been struck between the [energy] department and the Treasury, and that grand bargain has been the cause of a great deal of uncertainty. Essentially, it has allowed for two competing philosophies and energy strategies to emerge. One strategy is a dash for gas—unabated gas—which is obviously the Chancellor’s preferred option, and the other is much more sensible: the department’s policy of a mix of low-carbon generation.”

Jobs and skillsAnd what of the jobs and skills benefits of CCS? A study by CO2 Sense, an ethical investor in renewable energy schemes, revealed that the Yorkshire and Humber carbon capture and storage cluster 3 has the potential to generate, directly and indirectly, an economic impact of £1.3 billion up to 2030.

Economic benefits are greatest during the overlap between construction and operation. Were the region’s CCS projects to go ahead, employment and regional gross value peak at over 5,90o new jobs and £245m respectively. Its long-term regional economic impact by 2050 could exceed £26 billion – bear in mind across the region 11 or more people are chasing every job.

CCS will also be increasingly important for some of our core industries, notably steel, cement and certain chemical processes as, along with energy efficiency and fuel switching, it provides one of the three main ways in which greenhouse gas emissions from industry can be reduced.

As the Department of Energy and Climate Change heat strategy 4 acknowledges, industrial CCS could be a key technology for the decarbonisation of the industry, potentially allowing energy intensive industries to continue using fossil fuels while significantly reducing emissions.

Currently, the Energy and Climate Change Committee is conducting a timely inquiry into CCS. Is there another technology that is so essential to a successful transition to a low-carbon future, where the means to develop and deploy it through the UK’s energy market seem so inadequate?

■■ Green■growth:■no■turning■back■is■the■title■of■this■year’s■TUC■climate■change■conference■being■held■on■21■October■at■Congress■House.■Visit■www.tuc.org.uk/events■to■register.

“CCS will also be increasingly important for some of our core industries, notably steel, cement and certain chemical processes, as it provides one of the three main ways in which greenhouse gas emissions from industry can be reduced”

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1 Committee on Climate Change, advice to the Energy Secretary, 13 September 2012.2 Committee on Climate Change, advice to the Energy Secretary, 13 September 2012.3 www.co2sense.co.uk/files/2113/5031/6058/CCS_CO2Sense_Exec_summary_FINAL.pdf4 www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/190149/16_04-

DECC-The_Future_of_Heating_Accessible-10.pdf

■■ Didcot■A■coal-fired■power■station■was■disconnected■from■

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Prospect • EnergyEye – September 2013

NEWS 5

OVER THE next 15 years, to meet the demands for a modern network, the electricity sector must replace 80 per cent of its staff.

This is due to a combination of retirement and people moving on. It means that over 24,000 new recruits will join the industry.

With the development of new technology, more variable generation due to the greater use of wind power, and sophisticated consumer demand, the skills level of our sector will rise.

Analysis by the National Skills Academy for Power shows that nearly 1,000 higher apprentices are required each year to fill engineering roles across the power sector.

Despite the rise in student numbers, there are simply not enough graduate engineers to fill these roles. Therefore some innovative thinking has taken place on developing some new, and reviving some not so new, routes into power engineering.

The historyAs encouraging higher levels of professionalism is part of Prospect’s ethos, the union was one of the founding members of NSAP – a joint initiative pulling together employers, contractors and industry stakeholders to promote careers in power for people with the right skills and enthusiasm.

Most important, NSAP develops national standards and provides a framework for training and career development that all parts of the industry can use. Developing a

programme that encourages young people into the industry and trains them to agreed national standards has always been one of its key aims.

The industry has also had a long and proud tradition of developing non-graduate engineers which Prospect, in its various incarnations, has always supported.

So Prospect backed the resurrection of an effective scheme for A-level school leavers, not just in name, but by actively pursuing joint working with employers – Northern Powergrid, SSE, ScottishPower, Siemens, National Grid, Alstom, Electricity NorthWest, E.ON and Balfour Beatty.

The frameworkThat work culminated this spring with the launch of a national framework for higher apprenticeships. Although the name puzzled people used to a combination of craft apprentices and technical staff trainees, higher apprenticeships are designed for people with A-levels, or equivalent, to develop professional skills without first going to university.

With high university fees and concern about graduate employment making some students reconsider whether a full-time degree course is their best option, higher apprenticeships are attractive to people who wish to develop their professional skills at work before potentially developing them further through an HNC or foundation degree.

This September 20,000 young

people will start some form of higher apprenticeship in a diverse range of sectors from accountancy to human resources, and the higher apprenticeship for power is a small part of this process. It will deliver a recognised national qualification that meets employers’ expectations of a trainee engineer.

Given the range of jobs in the industry, the apprenticeship will provide four different qualifications covering asset management, design, programme planning and operations.

The partnersReflecting the enthusiasm of all partners in this process, Neil Robertson, chief executive of the Energy and Utility Sector Skills Council, said: “The fact that the government is investing in our industry’s people demonstrates the value of higher apprenticeships and the significance of the energy and utilities industries.

“This new apprenticeship will help to close the existing gaps and provide a structured route to job competence, delivering the high-level technical skills urgently required by the sector.”

For Prospect, the hard work put into developing the qualification shows the benefits of co-operation between the industry key players.

Creating a recognised route into engineering for students with A-levels is a welcome return to the best ideals of the past – providing a mix of engineers and a variety of routes into the profession.

Prospect negotiator Mike Macdonald describes how a new route into power engineering for A-level entrants, which sees its first cohorts start this month, has harnessed the traditional values of the industry’s past

■■ Macdonald■–■over■24,000■new■recruits■will■join■the■industry

SKILLS

Lining up the next generation

Prospect • EnergyEye – September 2013

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TAP CHANGER TRAGEDY – VALUABLE LESSONS TO LEARNA film used in a recent prosecution of UK Power Networks, after an electrical engineer was killed undertaking a tap-change procedure, has been released with the aim of preventing the same mistakes happening again.

The Health and Safety Executive’s film was shown in court to explain what went wrong at a sub station in Chelmsford in 2008 that resulted in the death of Prospect member John Higgins.

Prospect’s health and

safety officer Sarah Page said: “UK Power Networks’ chief executive officer, Basil Scarsella, has decided to share the film with other electricity industry operators to try and prevent another tragedy happening.

“The film will also now

form part of a revised asset management and maintenance roadshow due to be rolled out across the Energy Networks Association and Energy UK member companies soon.”

■■ Film:■www.dropbox.com/sh/q34putx9c6u1jh3/et-42a7ou2

Changing of the guardMEMBERS supported by the Liverpool and Welsh offices may notice a couple of changes from September. Gill Wood has been promoted to the position of national secretary and will now lead the 10-strong team of negotiators, organisers and support staff covering the north west and north Wales.

Gill takes up the position from 2 September, taking over from Mike Graham who now heads the union’s National Organising, Recruitment and Development team.

Members in the civil nuclear sector, including Babcock Nuclear, the National Nuclear Laboratory and Westinghouse UK Ltd, among others, will already know Gill as a friendly face having been a negotiations officer with responsibility for those areas since joining Prospect in 2007.

She said: “It is a great privilege to be able to provide support and assistance to members where needed. I want to ensure that Prospect continues to develop its distinctive membership approach and maintains its position as an independent advocate for the employment and career interests of professionals across government and the wider

UK economy. “I believe it is vital

that Prospect continues to strike a balance between providing protection as well as a vision for growth within the many industries in which our members work.”

Commenting on his new role Mike Graham said: “It has been an honour and a pleasure to have worked with our members in the north west during some particularly memorable times, not least within the nuclear

sector. “But

organising and recruit-ing is the lifeblood of any union,

more so than ever given the difficult environment in which we are operating.

“So I look forward to the challenges my new role will bring and am confident that reps and members will apply the same dedication to ensuring the union remains relevant, vibrant and attractive to new entrants to the workforce that they have in the numerous industrial and political battles we have previously tackled.”

He added that one of the first announcements he hopes to make in his new role is the successful completion of a big new single union recognition deal for Prospect in the nuclear sector. Watch this space!

MORE FINANCIAL support should be provided to local energy projects given the benefits they bring to the surrounding communities.

That was the recommendation contained in a recent report from the Common’s Energy and Climate Change Committee.

Speaking on behalf of the committee Dr Alan Whitehead said: “Businesses can reduce their energy overheads, locals can potentially benefit from cheaper electricity or heat and councils can use projects to tackle fuel poverty, cut costs and reduce carbon emissions.

“Medium-scale power plants could also help to boost energy security. Local heating schemes in particular could be helpful in balancing out peaks and troughs in electricity supply and demand by storing energy as hot water when there is a surplus of electricity being generated. If small-scale power plants fail it would cause less of an impact than if a large plant fails.”

But the committee identified a range of barriers preventing local projects getting off the ground including:

● securing funding and power purchase agreements

● connecting to the grid ● public opposition ● the cost and financial risks

involved seeking planning permission.

It called on the government to introduce a new support mechanism and a comprehensive package of measures to help with issues such as finance, planning grid access and advice.

In particular it noted that more support is needed for medium sized project in the 10-50 megawatt range that fall in the gap between the Feed-In Tariff arrangements for smaller household projects or the new fixed-price Contracts for Difference being introduced for large scale projects.

The committee proposed using the Green Investment Bank to provide seed and project development funding for feasibility studies, grid permits and help eliminate some of the risks involved in the planning process.

It also called on government to encourage industry to offer a stake to local residents in all new developments or consider the option of making a community ownership offer mandatory.

Backing for local energy

Prospect • EnergyEye – September 2013

NEWS 7

PAY

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A degree of successTHE future looks bright for these four Sellafield technical specialist trainees. They were among 14 TSTs at Sellafield that recently celebrated completing a foundation degree in nuclear related technology.

Pictured at their graduation from the University of Central Lancashire are (left to right) Debbie Wilson, Jessica Labourne, Lorraine Harvey and Olivia Dawson.

The degree has been jointly developed by Sellafield Ltd and nuclear training provider Gen II, and validated by UCLAN.

Debbie, who is also chair of the Sellafield Young Professionals’ network, said: “The TST scheme has provided me with the opportunity to complete a degree debt free and achieve full-time employment with a great local employer.”

While some trainees have opted to develop their careers in the job, Debbie and other colleagues have decided to use their degree as a stepping stone to further education.

She starts the second year of a BSC Hons in environmental management this month while Jessica and Lorraine are undertaking a two-year BEng in nuclear plant operations and process.

Published by Prospect, New Prospect House, 8 Leake Street, London SE1 7NN

EnergyEye editor: Katherine Beirne e: katherine.beirne@prospect.org.uk t 020 7902 6625

College Hill Press

MEMBERS AT Drax Power are into the first year of a two-year settlement, effective from January, which provides a headline rate worth 3.5% with an increase in shift allowances of 2%. THE SECOND year offer will be based on RPI +0.4% with a lower increase for shift payments.

Drax’s offer mirrors the median increase for professional engineers in the managerial group at the power station. It also reflects industry trends and changes in performance are reflected in bonus and share-save arrangements.

Eggborough Power Station has agreed a deal worth 3.17% effective from April. It marks the second year of a two-year settlement. Station performance continues to be reflected in a bonus payment.

Guernsey Electricity agreed a deal with a headline increase worth 3.3% effective from May. It is the second year of a three-year settlement using the formula RPI plus 0.1%.

Effective from November 2011 members at Jersey Electricity Company agreed a deal worth 3% following a successful presentation by the union to an independent arbitration panel.

The deal also includes a £400 lump sum bonus and £250 allocation of company shares.

Kilroot Power Station agreed a headline rate worth 3% in a one-year deal effective from January.

Magnox Ltd extended an existing three year settlement providing a deal worth 2.6% but with a clause to re-open negotiations if RPI reaches 3.5% or above for any continuous six month period from January.

Members at Rheidol Power Station began the last year of a three-year deal in June worth 3.5%.

Sellafield Ltd members started a one-year deal from April worth 2.9% while Springfields Fuels Ltd agreed a one-year deal from April of 2.7%.

Professional, Managerial and Supervisory staff in UK Power Networks are about to be balloted on a new three-year deal, recommended by the branch executive committee, which would see a headline increase of 3.95% in year one with RPI + in the

following years. There are new storm payments which will be extended to personal contract holders and a provision for harmonsisation negotiations to be extended into 2014.

Low Level Waste Repository agreed a one-year deal effective from April worth 2.75%.

Members in the Manx Electricity Authority agreed a one-year deal worth 3%.

The deal was eventually settled by pendulum or final offer arbitration, whereby the arbitrator chooses one of the parties’ proposals on each (or perhaps all) of the disputed issues.

The deal at Northern Powergrid provides a headline increase worth 3.1% effective from April and is the fourth year of an five-year deal.

Finally, in the last year of a three-year deal, members at SSE have seen a headline increase worth 4.5% effective from April.

Energy sector pay round-up

RECRUIT A MEMBERThe more members we have – the stronger our voice. Ask your colleagues to join us at www.prospect.org.uk/join or call 020 7902 6600 for more details.