Regulation of the energy market the future of the gas market

Residential, business, and industrial customers

Supplying an industrial customer Breakdown in supply

Customer choice consumer watchdogs

Energy saving

The image of the energy industry technical measures to reduce pollution the cost of protecting the environment emissions trading

The Kyoto protocol

Developments in nuclear power the nuclear production process safety and security issues Reprocessing and waste disposal

Arguments for and against nuclear power nuclear fusion

Mergers and takeovers sWot analyses financial documents

Assets, equity, and liabilities coal power plants disinvestment

Future production, demand, and supply departments and their functions

The fuel cell

The hydrogen economy

Lack of vision in the energy industry

Telephoning for information Expressing opinions and

(dis)agreement

 

 

Describing trends, developments, and consequences

Replying to letters of complaint Dealing with a complaint

 

Replying to invitations Giving a presentation

 

Describing a process Chairing a meeting

 

Discussion in a meeting

 

 

Writing reports

 

54 Testyourself!

Partner files

Answer key

Transcripts

A–Z word list

Ftlossary

Useful phrases and vocabulary

Abbreviations, acronyms, and numbers

14 |

2

Markets and customers

Discuss the questions with a partner.

• Can you switch your gas or electricity supplier in your country?

• How easy is it to do? What would encourage you to do it, or prevent you from doing it?

 

 

Now decide how important the following factors would be if you wanted to switch your electricity and/or gas supplier.

The new supplier should: Very important Not so important

1 offer a cheaper price than the current supplier.

 

2 guarantee security of supply.

 

3 supply both electricity and gas.

 

4 take care of all formalities regarding the changeover from the old to the new contract.

5 send clear and accurate bills.

 

6 offer the customer different ways of paying bills (direct debit, credit card, etc).

7 provide online services (e.g. for meter readings).

 

8 give advice on energy efficiency.

 

9 have a 24-hour helpline (call centre).

 

10 have offices in the same town as my home.

UNIT 2 Markets and customers | 15

1 Work with a partner. How are these types of customer defined in the company you work for? Give examples for each one.

1 a residential/retail customer

2 a business customer

3 an industrial customer