Manx Utilities Authority
68 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 100.0%
The Freedom of Information requests reveal a Manx Utilities Authority (MUA) that is increasingly transparent about high-level environmental and financial risks, yet remains guarded regarding granular operational data and commercial negotiations. Major disclosures have exposed significant environmental liabilities, including the admission that no sewage facilities utilize UV disinfection (Case 2373846) and the calculation of £11.57 million in annual health costs from power station emissions (Case 3951913). The authority has also been candid about operational failures, such as the seawater contamination incident in Douglas (Case 646165) and the lack of data on raw sewage volumes due to telemetry issues (Case 3919250). However, a recurring pattern of obstruction emerges in requests concerning major infrastructure projects like the Peel Sewage Treatment Works and the Cairn Vie windfarm. In these instances, MUA frequently cites 'commercial sensitivity' or claims data is 'not held' to withhold specific cost breakdowns, design plans, and contractor details (Cases 355725, 3843909, 4226913), often directing requesters to public reports that lack the requested specificity.
Key Cases
Case 3951913 — Reveals a staggering estimated annual cost of £11.57 million for non-GHG emissions from power stations, linking utility operations directly to significant public health and social housing impacts, a figure previously unknown to the public.
Case 2373846 — Discloses that zero sewage facilities in the Isle of Man have operational UV disinfection and that approximately 20 combined sewage overflows discharge directly into rivers, raising critical questions about water safety and infrastructure standards.
Case 3843909 — Exposes a significant cost escalation in the windfarm project from £23.5m to £36m, attributed to design changes and contingency margins, highlighting financial volatility in major renewable energy investments.
Case 646165 — Documents a major operational failure where seawater was accidentally pumped into Douglas freshwater pipes, with the authority admitting to costs of £14,723.83 and invoicing the Steam Packet Company, illustrating systemic risks in water management.
Case 2116457 — Uncovers that 27 staff members receive free private health treatment under legacy contracts, sparking a debate on the fairness of public sector benefits and the transparency of 'exemplary' employment costs.
Related FOI Stories
Peel Sewage Treatment Works & Infrastructure Costing — #355725, #355437, #355729, #355733, #355735
Wind Energy Projects: Cairn Vie & Earystane — #3843609, #3843909, #3887629, #3887729, #3939933
Environmental Discharges & Water Quality — #554134, #646165, #902593, #1028829, #1044361
Staff Benefits, Salaries & Employment — #466533, #2116458, #2116457, #2136578, #2143337
Energy Costs, Interconnectors & Smart Meters — #849965, #931113, #1358041, #2295341, #2346933
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-17 | West Baldwin Reservoir catchment area | All information sent |
| The requester asked for an accurate map of the West Baldwin Reservoir catchment area, noting that the online MANNGIS map incorrectly omitted water pumped from East Baldwin. The Manx Utilities Authority responded by explaining the distinction between direct and indirect catchments and provided a map of the East Baldwin Valley as an indirect catchment. | ||
| 2025-10-15 | Reayrt Vradda Ltd | All information sent |
| The requester asked about Manx Utilities' creditor status and supply policies regarding the liquidation of Reayrt Vradda Ltd. The authority confirmed they are not yet listed as a creditor but continue to supply services pending formal liquidation documentation, while directing the requester to a public website for disconnection policies. | ||
| 2025-08-26 | Retainers | All information sent |
| The requester asked for policies and details regarding retainer payments for wind farm projects since 2018, but the Manx Utilities Authority disclosed that no such retainer payments have been made or arranged. | ||
| 2025-07-23 | CCGT | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the estimated fuel cost per MWh for the Pulrose power station in both combined-cycle and open-cycle modes. The Manx Utilities Authority responded by providing broad brush estimates based on assumed thermal efficiencies and gas transport costs, noting that actual costs vary with load and volatile gas prices. | ||
| 2025-04-16 | Payments to contractors for tree felling around power lines | All information sent |
| 2025-04-15 | Tanker hire | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the total cost of hiring two Bridmin tankers over approximately four years. The Manx Utilities Authority disclosed that the tankers were hired since 2017 and provided the total expenditure for the period up to March 2025. | ||
| 2024-09-05 | Request relating to the trade of energy via the interconnector | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Manx Utilities Authority for annual data on energy exports and imports via the interconnector for the years 2018/19 through 2023/24. The authority responded by providing all requested information, including export quantities, unit costs, import percentages, and total import costs, while also adding data for 2020/21 for completeness. | ||
| 2024-09-05 | Cost of green and non-green energy | All information sent |
| The requester asked Manx Utilities Authority for annual quantities and unit costs of green versus non-green electricity imported via the interconnector for the years 2018/19 through 2023/24. The authority responded by providing all requested information in a table, noting that figures for 2020/21 were also included for completeness. | ||
| 2024-07-15 | Consumption of electricity at the National Sports Centre | All information sent |
| The request sought electricity consumption data and costs for the National Sports Centre between April 2023 and March 2024, broken down by site. The authority confirmed the tariffs used for each site and clarified that waste heat units are unmetered, though the specific consumption figures were referenced as provided below in the original document. | ||
| 2024-07-08 | Interconnector and Standing Charge (Electricity) | All information sent |
| The request sought details on electricity costs from the interconnector, green energy certification, other generation tariffs, and standing charge calculations. The authority disclosed the average interconnector cost, confirmed green energy is more expensive and certified via Renewable Energy Certificates, provided specific tariff rates for sustainable generation, and explained the standing charge is not cost-reflective. | ||
| 2024-07-08 | Electricity Costs - Loan interest payments and Maintenance | All information sent |
| The request sought details on loan interest contributions to electricity charges and the specific costs of maintaining distribution infrastructure. The authority disclosed the total loan interest amount and provided a breakdown of maintenance, staff, and other costs, noting that detailed financial statements are publicly available. | ||
| 2024-07-01 | Health Impact from current Power Plants | All information sent |
| The requester asked for a study on the health costs of emissions from Pulrose and Peel power stations, specifically regarding NOx and SOx. The Manx Utilities Authority disclosed a document titled 'Appendix 13' which estimates the annual cost of non-GHG emissions at £11.57 million and discusses the relevance of these impacts to social housing and climate justice principles. | ||
| 2024-06-18 | Prepaid meter disconnections | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the number of prepaid meter electricity disconnections over the past five years, but the authority disclosed that historical data is unavailable due to system limitations, providing only a recent six-week statistic instead. | ||
| 2024-06-05 | On-call information | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Manx Utilities Authority regarding on-call staff hours, pay rates, and response times. The authority clarified that they operate a 'Standby' system rather than a traditional on-call arrangement, providing specific ranges for coverage hours, payments, and typical response times. | ||
| 2024-05-07 | Estimated project costs Windfarm | All information sent |
| The requester asked for a breakdown explaining the cost increase of the Isle of Man windfarm project from £23.5m to £36m. The Manx Utilities Authority responded by providing a cost breakdown and explaining that the increase is due to updated turbine design ranges and the inclusion of contingency margins. | ||
| 2024-04-16 | Smart meters | All information sent |
| The request sought clarification on the Isle of Man's smart meter rollout, including its link to government climate strategies, cost implications, and infrastructure details. The Manx Utilities Authority disclosed that the project supports the Island Plan's decarbonisation goals, clarified that no new sites were acquired due to De Minimis exemptions, and outlined future IIoT applications. | ||
| 2024-03-26 | Sewage works effluent results | All information sent |
| 2024-03-15 | Organised events for profit | All information sent |
| 2024-03-12 | Information on Installation of ASHP | All information sent |
| 2024-01-16 | Drainage adoption at Royal Park and Gibbs Park, Ramsey | All information sent |
| 2024-01-15 | Cost of gas | All information sent |
| 2023-12-21 | Provison of electricity to the NSC | All information sent |
| 2023-11-21 | Private generation of electricity | All information sent |
| 2023-11-20 | Schedule 2 paragraph 9 of the Electricity Act 1996 | All information sent |
| 2023-11-01 | Agricultural shows | All information sent |
| 2023-10-03 | Meters and Trilliant | All information sent |
| 2023-09-15 | Electricity Disconnection Policy | All information sent |
| 2023-09-11 | Street Lighting Correspondence between MUA & Ramsey Town Commissioners | All information sent |
| 2023-09-07 | Manx telecom solar panels | All information sent |
| 2023-08-30 | Go Green Isle of Man | All information sent |
| 2023-08-25 | Diesel & Gas | All information sent |
| 2023-08-08 | Interconnector | All information sent |
| 2023-08-08 | Wardell Armstrong appointment | All information sent |
| 2023-08-03 | Customer arrears and disconnections | All information sent |
| 2023-08-01 | None disclosure agreement s | All information sent |
| 2023-07-24 | Electrical generation Hydro Electric Plant | All information sent |
| 2023-07-24 | Location Plans submitted through DIG | All information sent |
| 2023-07-10 | Quality of Manx drinking water. | All information sent |
| 2023-06-07 | Sewage Treatment | All information sent |
| 2023-04-21 | Water leakage rates | All information sent |
| 2023-03-06 | EV tariff information for years 2018 to 2022 | All information sent |
| 2023-02-07 | EV Tariff Fair Useage Policy | All information sent |
| 2022-12-23 | Internet cameras | All information sent |
| 2022-10-18 | Gas Import | All information sent |
| 2022-09-07 | Publication of Responses to FOI Requests | All information sent |
| 2022-08-29 | Douglas Flood Mitigation Feasibility Study Overarching Report - JBA | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the cost paid to Jeremy Benn Associates Limited for the July 2019 Douglas Flood Mitigation Feasibility Study. The Manx Utilities Authority confirmed the total payment amount was £56,767.54 excluding VAT. | ||
| 2022-05-26 | Number of accounts | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the total number of active electricity accounts and a breakdown between domestic and business users. The Manx Utilities Authority provided figures for active meters and properties but clarified that these do not directly correlate to account numbers due to multiple meters per account or properties. | ||
| 2022-04-20 | Numbers employed by Manx Utilities | All information sent |
| A request was made to Manx Utilities Authority for employment statistics and total salary expenditure as of 31 March 2022. The authority disclosed the total headcount, the split between full-time and part-time staff, and the total annual salary cost. | ||
| 2022-04-07 | Overflows from treatment works and Combined Sewage Overflows | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Manx Utilities Authority regarding the number of sewage treatment works and combined sewage overflows equipped with UV disinfection and their discharge locations. The authority disclosed that zero facilities have operational UV disinfection and estimated that approximately 60 overflows exist, with one-third discharging into rivers. | ||
| 2022-03-23 | Power generation figures and power station active hours | All information sent |
| The request sought electricity generation figures and operational schedules for the Pulrose power station over a 60-day period. The Manx Utilities Authority disclosed that the CCGT station ran continuously while the Diesel station operated on 13 specific days, providing total output figures and a detailed start/stop schedule. | ||