Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 1ST - 7TH JULY 2016 | 31 Community Editor, Utility Week, and content director, Utilities: Ellen Bennett, t: 01342 332084, e: ellenbennett@fav-house.com; Acting editor: Jane Gray, t: 01342 332087, e: janegray@ fav-house.com; Insights editor: Mathew Beech, t: 01342 332082, e: mathewbeech@fav-house. com; News editor: Lois Vallely, t: 01342 332080, e: loisvallely@fav-house.com; Networks correspondent: Lucinda Dann, t: 01342 332083, e: lucindadann@fav-house.com; Reporters: Saffron Johnson, t: 01342 332050, e: saffronjohnson@fav-house.com and Tom Grimwood, t: 01342 332061, e: tomgrimwood@fav-house.com; Business development manager: Richard Powell, t: 01342 332062, e: richardpowell@fav-house.com; Business development executive: Sarah Wood, t: 01342 332077, e: sarahwood@fav-house.com; Publisher: Amanda Barnes, e: amandabarnes@ fav-house.com. General enquiries: 01342 332000; Membership enquiries: Peter Bissell, t: 01342 332507, e: peterbissell@fav-house.com. 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 3,580 Average circulation Jan–Dec 2015 Membership subscriptions: UK £637 per year. Overseas £749 per year. Contact Peter Bissell on: 01342 332507 Independence Day? Welcome to Independence Day! Not the film, the stark reality many a Brit woke up shocked and surprised to find was 24 June. Project Fear had failed and the BoJo and Farage double act – backed by a merry band of Brexiteers – tipped the polls 52 to 48 per cent in their favour. Then, much like many a morning aer a heavy night before, reality hit hard. The pound plummeted to 30-year lows, stocks and shares nosedived and pandemonium gripped the Westminster estab- lishment. Ever since the vote, it seems the country has gone mad. Just hours aer the outcome, prime minister David Cameron resigned. Dozens of the shadow cabinet have jumped ship, leaving Captain Corbyn behind with a desolate few. What will happen now? Will Scotland gain independence? Northern Ireland unite with the Republic of Ireland? And Eng- land attempt to invade Wales, sparking World War III? If the 'Remain' camp is to be believed – that could happen, or indeed may already be underway. One thing is certain, the future is very uncertain, for all concerned. Uprising Glastonbury – that annual festival of mud, supported by the clean cut hipster-folk who these days call themselves musicians – saw 200,000 hip- pies and camping enthusiasts descend upon a boggy field in the south west. The news of the Brexit vote sent ripples of anger through the camp, and dampened spir- its more than the rain, prompt- ing a crowd of more than 150 people, led by folk band Seize the Day, to ascend a hill and form a heart shape surrounded by the stars of the EU flag. The band cut short its own gig on the Greenpeace stage to lead the crowd, starting up a chant: "You and me are human beings, everyone here is still European". Coldplay's Chris Martin stoked the enraged middle classes, reportedly telling fans they had witnessed the "col- lapse of the country". The great man – Discon- nector, not Martin – believes that if there is hope for the UK to hang on in the EU, among muddy suburbanites in a boggy Somerset field is where it will be found. A plague of mutant frogs As if a country in turmoil wasn't bad enough, climate buffs have warned that the vote has thrown the UK's climate change and environmental commitments into doubt. And so, we must now fear the rise of the "mutant frogs". Scientists in Russia have discovered that frog eggs exposed to environmental pollution have been grow- ing up with transparent skin, which exposes their organs, skeletons and even their beat- ing hearts. Disconnector can't help thinking that at least we can be sure these beasties have hearts, unlike some of our mud-sling- ing referendum campaigners. Human rights for robots Aside from mutant frogs, spare a thought for the soon-to-be- enslaved robots of this great island. The Brexit vote could see them shorn of any, erm, human rights. The European Union's bureaucrats in Brussels are pushing for a vote on whether these animatronic, artificially intelligent cyborgs should be legally considered "electronic persons with specific rights and obligations". By the time the vote has taken place, the UK may well no longer be a member of the EU, meaning that machines in the UK will have lost out on the chance to be given robot rights. So, the great man has got only this to say, if you thought Brexit was bad now, just wait until we're plagued by mutant frogs and robots have "come over here and taken our jobs". At least that will give us time to enjoy our sporting superiority. Then again… Disconnector Andrea Leadsom MP @andrealeadsom Huge congratulations on our Independence Day!!! A superb result for the UK. Barry Gardiner @BarryGardiner We have started a nuclear chain reaction in which no-one knows the outcome. Waterwise @Waterwise As we look at UK water policy outside EU let's remember Water Framework Directive was called "English Directive" as it was being developed. Tim Probert @TimProbert Good Energy @DavenportJuliet on CMA: "If twerking men and meercats on TV can't make you switch, then junk mail through your letter box won't." Which? News @WhichNews "It's high time for energy companies to accept they need to change." Our response to the CMA's energy reforms. Water UK @WaterUK A running tap wastes over six litres of water a minute – three times an adult's recom- mended daily intake! Turn it off when not in use. #WaterTips pm @paulmassara Hinkley must be over now with sterling drop and EU membership gone. Richard Howard @RichardHowardPX So what do we think the likelihood of the imminent @DECCgovuk consultations on coal phase-out and smart power surfacing is now...? William Marchant @richonlyinname When a ministerial reshuffle comes, Decc will have to Leadsom body go. One can only hope it isn't left Rudderless. #DECCxit #Brexit Good Energy @GoodEnergy Solar generated an est 1,336GWh of electricity last month, compared to 893GWh from coal. Top Tweets

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