UK Power Networks to boost substation communications

UK Power Networks has planned to invest more than six million to upgrade its communications networks for nearly 10,000 secondary substations across London. The investment will futureproof the company’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) communications systems, through which it controls, manages and monitors its substations. Plans are currently underway to upgrade its fleet of Remote Telemetry Units (RTUs) to use any locally available communications network, such as O2 or Three, improving the ability to monitor substations from a centralised location. The communications upgrade will allow UK Power Networks to receive better data about its equipment which is spread across a wide area, including maintenance requirements, improving service to customers through reducing the risk of power cuts. Roger Yeo, Operational Telecoms Manager at UK Power Networks, says, “This investment across our London network will ensure we continue to build resilience into our substation communications for many years to come. “Improving the reliability of these communication systems will improve our knowledge of the operational status and health of our substations. This information will be used to respond and reconnect our customers more quickly when a fault occurs on the network. Improved asset monitoring will ultimately also reduce the likelihood of power cuts in the future for our customers.”

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HiKOKI launches its new cordless impact wrench

HiKOKI Power Tools has launched the 36V ½" WR36DGW2Z Cordless Impact Wrench featuring outstanding torque, a highly efficient brushless motor, adjustable settings and a rock-solid ergonomic construction. The WR36DGW2Z is a force to be reckoned with, boasting a tightening torque of up to 1,400Nm and a nut busting torque of 2,000Nm, perfect for tackling the toughest tasks. Equipped with four versatile modes and the option for auto-stop/auto-slow function, it adapts seamlessly to various applications. The auto-stop feature prevents over-tightening, while auto-slow ensures bolts won't drop, saving you time and hassle. Plus, with an IP56 rating, it's built to withstand even the harshest conditions in the workshop or out on site. The WR36DGW2Z Cordless Impact Wrench has a host of features. The integrated battery dampening system prolongs the life of both the battery interface and the tool itself, while the ergonomic soft grip allows for seamless handling and enhanced safety. Workspaces are also easily illuminated with the integrated LED light which gives crystal-clear visibility. This Impact Wrench is crafted for the utmost in performance and convenience and comes as a body only as it accepts any 18V or 36V multi-volt battery. Users can choose the multi-volt battery ‘Starter Pack’ of their choice, (Pack one 5.0Ah at 18V/ 2.5Ah at 36V or Pack two 8.0Ah at 18V/ 4.0Ah at 36V).

Develop's Quality Assurance and Audit team celebrates second anniversary

Develop Training has been celebrating the success of its Quality Assurance and Audit team (QAA) as it marks its two-year anniversary. Launched in 2021, the team was established to ensure that Develop could continue to deliver exceptional quality training and an unrivalled service to its delegates and the industry employers it works with. Two years on, the QAA team’s work has become a recognisable success, providing insights and consultation on risk-based quality assurance for external clients. As a testament to its growth, the team now works with six awarding organisations to provide Develop with the risk-based assurance of 19 accredited schemes that cover 80 qualifications which are delivered to over 8,000 delegates every academic year. Develop credits its success to its ‘Three-Lines of Defence’ approach to quality assurance: Management of training Focus on quality assurance Facilitating an independent audit This technique was applied as part of Develop’s external quality assurance consultation to Network Plus, when appointed by the organisation in 2022, to provide an independent external audit service. The team has not only created a successful consultation service and established an external reputation for stringent processes and procedures but has also been recognised internally at Develop’s in-house awards in 2022 when named Team of the Year. Andy Holmes, Head of Audit & Quality Improvement at Develop, states, “We are pleased to celebrate our second anniversary and acknowledge the hard work of the whole team in order to reach this milestone. This has been a remarkable journey where our offering has continued to grow and evolve, resulting in excellent results for Develop and our clients. “Looking ahead, we are excited to continue working with the wider team at Develop, as well as offer out our services externally to those who require an unbiased quality assurance check.”

Makita powers up the heat

Makita has introduced two new heated base layers to its range of job site apparel. Powered either with Makita’s 18V LXT battery or the 12Vmax CXT battery, professionals can stay warm when working in cold, harsh job site conditions with the new DCX200 and DCX201 heated base layer shirts. With four dedicated heat zones (front waist, both forearms and back) for optimum heat distribution and three heat settings to adjust to changing weather conditions, these new garments can provide continuous heat for up to 33hrs (when used on the low setting with the BL1860B 6Ah LXT battery – sold separately). Both base layers are made from elasticated fabric to allow unrestricted movement, are machine washable and have a simple switch on/off button that is easily accessible at the front. The key difference between the two products is the style – the DCX200 is a simple pullover style shirt with a round neck, while the slip on DCX201 features a half zip with a stand-up collar. The new long-sleeved base layers can be powered by Makita’s 18V LXT or 12Vmax CXT batteries which can be placed in a battery holder attached to the waist belt. Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita UK, comments, “Our heated base layers are perfect for anyone who works in cold conditions, whether outdoors or indoors. The four heat zones cover the front waist, top centre of the back and both forearms, providing effective and welcome warmth that will enable users to more comfortably carry out their work, all year round.” The unisex DCX200 and DCX201 heated base layer shirts are available in a range of sizes, from XS to 3XL, and join a growing line up of heated jackets and vests from the manufacturer that are ideal for the colder months.

MCS surpasses 4,000 certified contractors

MCS (the Microgeneration Certification Scheme) has surpassed 4,000 MCS certified contractors. The growth in the number of certified companies installing low-carbon technology highlights the growth in consumer confidence in home-grown energy across the UK and reflects the growing demand for MCS certified contractors across the nation. In October, MCS certified its 4,000th contractor, as the number of homeowners looking for certified installers to retrofit their homes with solar panels, heat pumps and other renewable technologies continued to grow. MCS certification is a mark of quality providing assurance to consumers. Being MCS certified demonstrates that a contractor installs renewable energy and heating systems to industry-expected levels of quality every time. 2023 has been a record-breaking year for MCS so far as the scheme has seen over 1,700 new contractors becoming certified in the last 11 months, a 70% growth in the contractor base since the end of 2022. In fact, more contractors have joined the scheme in 2023 so far than in the previous six years of the scheme combined. At the end of 2022, MCS had fewer than 2,000 solar PV contractors - today, it has over 3,200. This growth mirrors the rapid rise in certified solar PV installations across the UK and the growing demand amongst homeowners to generate their own home-grown electricity, reducing energy bills, claiming energy independence, and decreasing their carbon footprint. The scheme has also recorded over 200,000 certified installations of small-scale technologies in 2023. It’s been a notable year for heat pumps, with over 34,000 certified heat pump installations – more than any other year end figure in scheme history. You can hear from the installer community here.

Fluke expands Premium Care support packages for industrial tools

Fluke has announced the expansion of its Premium Care support packages to include a wider range of market-leading industrial and electrical tools. Fluke Premium Care covers the routine calibration and performance checks of tools to ensure compliance with the latest standards as well as the repair and replacement of damaged accessories. Top priority technical support is also offered to enable customers to solve critical equipment challenges faster. Selected tools from Fluke’s range of acoustic imagers, power quality analysers and loggers, multifunction PV testers and performance analysers, ScopeMeters, motor drive analysers and process calibration tools can now be covered by Fluke Premium Care. Chris Ulfig, Technical Sales Manager, Fluke emphasises that Premium Care should not be seen as additional insurance or an extended warranty, “Fluke Premium Care is a means of ensuring any gaps in production and performance are kept to an absolute minimum by maintaining the continuity of our customers’ work.” “Less downtime means greater productivity, increased efficiency, higher profits, and more satisfied end-users. Additionally, equipment that is fully calibrated is not just reliable, it is safe – and the safety of personnel is non-negotiable. Fluke Premium Care takes away the headache of accidental damage or worrying about compliance, calibration, and performance testing to make the most out of your tools. It’s a no-brainer.” Testing, calibration and compliance Representing a cost-effective way for customers to keep tools in peak condition, Fluke Premium Care provides coverage above and beyond a tool’s original product warranty, helping users to avoid unexpected downtime caused by damaged test equipment, accessories, or tools that need calibration or repair. Annual cost comparisons show that upgrading to a Fluke Premium Care plan can save thousands on equipment maintenance and repair. At the same time, the package supports customers who need their industrial tools to be calibrated or performance tested on an annual basis. Fluke Premium Care’s calibration and performance maintenance service ensures test tools always provide accurate results and comply with the latest standards. With the offer of expedited calibration, repair and freight, Fluke customers can also save time and get back to work faster while maximising efficiency, safety, and productivity in the workplace. Accuracy and reliability cut operational costs and increase ROI Fluke’s ii900 Industrial Acoustic Imager and ii910 Precision Acoustic Imager can now come bundled with a one or three-year Fluke Premium Care plan. Fluke’s acoustic cameras are the fastest way for maintenance teams to accurately locate air, gas, and vacuum leaks in compressed gas systems. Those seemingly small issues can have a significant impact on a company’s operational costs with a single 1/8” (3mm) leak in a compressed air line costing more than USD $2,500 a year, according to the US Department of Energy for Industrial Technologies. Additionally, a 100hp air compressor consumes around $50,000 in electricity every year and can waste as much as 30% of that power on pressurising leaking air lines. It is a major benefit to use equipment that is annually performance tested to ensure accuracy, reliability and safety when scanning large areas or hazardous environments from up to 50m (164ft) away. For measurement tools that are used to generate safety and performance reports, such as power quality analysers or multifunction testers, regular calibration is a must to ensure compliance and to guarantee precise and conclusive measurements. With Fluke Premium Care, the return on investment from Fluke’s market-leading industrial and electrical tools is substantially increased. Direct access to experts “Fluke’s industrial and electrical tools are renowned for their rugged design and safety features, but accidental damage to tools and accessories can happen, especially where equipment is used by new recruits or operators with minimal training,” says Chris. “At the same time, calibration and performance tests are essential to guarantee the accuracy and reliability of equipment. Fluke Premium Care ensures customers have direct access to industrial and electrical tool experts who can help them to cut downtime, boost performance, control budget spent and save money in the process.” Fluke Premium Care is a comprehensive solution that offers greater peace of mind for electrical contractors and maintenance technicians who work in residential, commercial and industrial sectors as well as key decision-makers involved in purchasing electrical and industrial test equipment.

New service to help home improvement SMEs resolve complaints

Qure Group has launched a new complaint resolution service which provides an off-the-shelf route to resolve customer disagreements. For use by SMEs and sole traders in the home improvement and renewable energy sectors, the Complaint Assist package uses the same tried and tested methods of complaint resolution previously only available to larger organisations. “Using an approach which focuses on reaching an agreed resolution has proven time and again to reduce both cost and stress while ensuring reputations are not damaged," explains Ciaran Harkin, Managing Director of Qure Group. He adds, “Our objective in such cases is to avoid conflict between businesses and customers along with saving time and preventing legal costs from spiralling out of control. Too many complaints, which could be resolved amicably, descend into expensive, long running and ultimately damaging scenarios which can be avoided.” With a team of dedicated and experienced agents, Qure Group handles dispute resolution for a range of organisations independently mediating on their behalf when other routes have failed to find common ground. Prices for support packages start at £60 per month. Recent research by the company found that tradespeople face four customer disputes per year and that three-quarters of homeowners would select a contractor based on its use of an alternative dispute resolution scheme. Despite this, 42% of home improvement contractors are not part of a dispute resolution scheme.

Sparks' Remarks podcast unveils secrets of skills success

The new episode of Sparks’ Remarks has featured no-holds barred insights from Mike Stark of leading facilities management firm, Atalian Servest AMK, who has more than 39 years of business experience and has been supporting electrical apprentices for the last eight years. He gives his forthright views on what it takes to train and develop apprentice electricians in the latest podcast from the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT) and leading trade association SELECT. In the podcast, entitled 'five-way tag teams, the proud father and a kick up the bahookie', he tells listeners about the qualities required to become a competent and qualified electrician – and the tactics needed to inspire and motivate learners to reach their full potential. Mike says, “I always say it’s a five-way tag team – company, college, SECTT, training officer and apprentice. If someone doesn’t pull their weight or commit then it won’t work as it’s a struggle for the other four. “For example, we had a student struggle to pass the first stage of their apprenticeship but we supported him and he passed it, absolutely flew through stage two and is now doing well in stage three, so the support in his early stages has really helped him and made a difference. “Sometimes, just like the ‘proud father’ some of the apprentices say they see me as, they need an arm around them as well as a hug – and we’re quick enough to give them a kick up the backside when needed too! “I can think of one apprentice who had a really hard couple of years personally and is now back on his chosen path and it’s great to see the smile back on his face. For me, it’s the most satisfying thing to see apprentices who have struggled at one point but who then make progress and pass.” Mike continues, “It’s been gratifying to see how support for apprenticeships has improved across the board in recent years. Communications too have become better, with a portal available from day one and a direct line of comms to me. “Students are here to learn and realise they have homework and deadlines for a reason. Some have struggled but we’re working hard on improving this. Those students who have been on a pre-apprenticeship course turn up better able to take advantage of the training experience. “Being a qualified electrician is to be a member of a safety-critical profession. Of the three key utilities – gas, water and electricity – it is electricity which is the hardest to detect and the safety risk element is a huge part of the course. “We’re not looking for superstars, we’re looking for apprentices who are dedicated and committed to the cause of becoming electricians. We’ve had apprentices win awards at national level which is great but all of them who pass the Final Integrated Competence Assessment (FICA) are a success in our eyes." Like the previous two episodes, the new podcast is aimed at existing and would-be apprentices and their employers, and is hosted by journalist Kim McAllister and Barrie McKay, Training and Development Manager at SECTT. Episode can be found here.

30,000 EV chargers to be installed across the UK

Pozitive Energy and Landis+Gyr have joined forces to deliver the country’s most substantial gear shift in EV charging. The partnership will see a unique delivery model rolled out across the country, with businesses able to access the complete end-to-end EV charging infrastructure, including full installation and management of Landis+Gyr’s premium EV charging solutions, fixed national pricing, ‘tap and go’ payment processes, and the ability to earn revenues or offset energy bills from charge point use. Not only will this make EV charging as accessible and easy as possible for both businesses deploying it and their customers who use it, but it will also help expedite the expansion of the UK’s EV infrastructure, which continues to lag behind other European countries. Nathan Daniels, Head of Electric Vehicles at Pozitive Energy, comments, “Our partnership with Landis+Gyr represents the largest advancement in the UK’s EV market in decades, and will see us together, driving forward Britain’s ability to reach its net zero and low carbon targets. “For too long, the country’s EV charging infrastructure has presented a barrier to consumer adoption. Working with Landis+Gyr to develop this unique approach to EV charging will see UK businesses gain access to revenue generating charge points, while also offering drivers access to a much more robust and easier to use charging network thus benefitting us all in an expanding EV infrastructure. “As a tech-first energy supplier to businesses, we are in a unique position to deliver a future-proof EV charging solution, that ensures all regulatory and legislative changes are accounted for while providing unrivalled automation and ease of use." Once deployment has been completed, the partnership will see Pozitive Energy provide the largest network of EV chargers in the UK. Over the next five years, Pozitive Energy expects to install 30,000 of Landis+Gyr’s electric vehicle charging units across the UK.