Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 28Th March - 3rd aprIL 2014 | 31 Community Disconnector Editor: Ellen Bennett, t: 01342 332084, e: ellen.bennett@fav-house.com; Energy editor: Megan darby, t: 01342 332087, e: megan.darby@fav-house.com; Features editor: Karma Ockenden, t: 01342 332086, e: karma.ockenden@fav-house. com; Reporter: Mathew Beech, t: 01342 332082, e: mathew.beech@fav-house.com; Reporter: conor McGlone, t: 01342 332083, e: conor.mcglone@fav-house.com; Production editor: paul Newton, t: 01342 332085; Business development manager: Ed roberts, t: 01342 332067, e: ed.roberts@fav-house.com; Sales executive: Nicky Shaw, t: 01342 332070, e: nicky.shaw@fav-house.com; Publisher: amanda Barnes, e: amanda.barnes@fav-house.com. General enquiries: 01342 332000; Subscriptions: UK £577 per year, Overseas £689 per year, t: 01342 332011. ISSN: 1356-5532. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office. Printed by: Buxton press, palace road, Buxton, derbyshire SK17 6aE. Published by: Faversham house Ltd, Windsor court, Wood Street, East Grinstead, West Sussex rh19 1UZ Exploding with pride Teams of engineers working for RWE on its Gwynt-y-Mor offshore windfarm off the Welsh coast have discovered three unex- ploded World War II bombs on the seabed in Liverpool Bay. The company has had to declare a 250m exclusion zone around the unstable ordnance until the sea is sufficiently calm for experts to go in and render them safe by way of controlled explosions. Disconnector was struck by the juxtaposition of bombs and windfarms. It's hard to imagine that just 70 years ago our ener- gies were going into developing ever more lethal devices with the intent of wiping each other out, whereas today we are putting considerable energy and financial resources into trying to develop machines that will preserve the planet for all who live on it. It makes you wonder some- times if maybe, just maybe, the human race is growing up…? Naah. Of course it isn't. Most of the time one wonders how we ever made it this far at all. Discon- nector refers to stories such as that of the 21-year-old in Andujar, Spain, who this month electro- cuted himself when he clambered onto the roof of a train to take a selfie with his mobile and snagged the overhead power cable. Okay, the train was parked up in a siding rather than hurtling down the track, but surely such reckless disregard for one's own safety must qualify him for a Dar- win Award, recipients of which Disconnector are considered to have contrib- uted to their own demise to such an extent that they've done the gene pool a favour by exiting it? The young man died and his friend was reported to be in a serious condition in hospital, though why he was taking a selfie in the first place when he could have given the camera to his mate is something we won't now ever know the answer to. Bez set for the benches? If only there were someone out there in this crazy, mixed up world of ours who could make some sense of it all – ideally someone like Bez, the drug- addled member of 1990s dance music troupe The Happy Mon- days. You know, the one who used to dance around out front with maracas wailing "You're twisting my melon, man". Well, it looks like we're all in luck because, fired up by his opposition to fracking, Bez has announced that he will stand as a candidate for Salford and Eccles in next year's general election, fighting for the seat that will be vacant when incum- bent Hazel Blears steps down. Bez is incensed by the rape of the planet and turned up in Barton Moss to offer his support to anti-fracking protesters – and announce candidacy for Parlia- ment. He admitted that the idea to stand was "off the cuff " but such was the support, he would carry it through. He's working on the fine print of his "New Ideas" manifesto, but the central idea will be "free energy, free food and free anything", he told the press. Personally, Disconnector would love Bez in the Com- mons, where he could shout out the aforementioned phrase at prime minister's questions. And why shouldn't he get elected? Essentially there's not a great deal of difference between Bez's policy on energy and Ed Miliband's. Put that light out! It's long been observed that animals tend to avoid power pylons, power lines and substa- tions, but until now it has not been known why. It has puzzled scientists because suspended cables are neither a barrier to wildlife nor are they regularly associated with humans. The romantics among you doubtless hoped it was down to the innate wisdom of ani- mals, who have an extra sense that tells them when they are approaching something as strange and unnatural, and dangerous, as electricity. But no, scientists at London's University College and the University of Oslo in Norway have discovered that many animals have a wider ultraviolet visual spectrum than humans and that pylons and power lines regularly give off bright UV flashes. Basically, the bloody things are lit up like Christmas trees. 3,580 average circulation Jan–dec 2013 Subscriptions: UK £577 per year, Overseas £689 per year fhcustomerservices@ abacusemedia.com Jessica Lennard @JessicaLennard The more I read the Capacity Mechanism consultation, the more I think maybe gas generators won't be so bothered about the CPF #Budget2014 Tom Greatrex MP @tomgreatrexmp Astounded Vince Cable doesn't know CFP com- pensation for energy intensives announced Nov 2011 paid out £0 #outoftouch #outofdepth Charles John Yuill @Chasyuil A bland trading statement from United Utilities today confirming everything is in line with the group's expectations pending Ofwat's review Wates Group @WatesGroup Latest #ECO results from Ofgem show the "free boiler" rush will soon be over. Simon Dennett @simon_dennett Green Deal has stalled, ECO has stalled, are companies now starting to lose interest in this marketplace? Tree For The Woods @Treeforthewoods A definite rethink needed for the #greendeal and the changes to #ECO 'Green deal plans reduce to a trickle' Martyn Williams @MartynWilliams2 Usual #GreenDeal excuse is it doesn't matter how work is paid for. But massed brains of Decc spent months on loans now helping ~1 person/day John Sinfield @MD_KINE Apparently the #greendeal incentives will make up for the #eco changes. I'll tell my shareholders to trust government. Again. Tim Probert @TimProbert Obvious question for Siemens is why commit now when offshore wind/policy is in a tailspin? Any HMG sweeteners? And are there enough orders? Richard Lloyd @RichardJLloyd Own goal from energy industry lobby group Energy UK. Their report confirms what I said yesterday: big suppliers dominate, with 95% of market Top Tweets

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