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People & Opinion Utility Week community UTILITY WEEK | 9TH - 15TH SEPTEMBER 2016 | 7 WILL BREXIT PREVENT YOUR BUSINESS FROM EXPANDING? Npower spoke to its business customers about the impact that the vote to leave the EU, which was held two months ago, has had on them. The energy retailer's poll shows that 63 per cent of busi- nesses do not think they will be affected by the outcome of the referendum. A total of 28 per cent stated they expect any expansion plans to be delayed, whilst 9 per cent responded that they have increased their growth plans in the wake of the vote. No, it won't have any impact Yes, at least for the next year (and beyond) Yes, at least for the next three months Yes, at least for the next six months No, it has increased our plans to expand 9% 9% 9% 10% 63% Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) has launched a new partnership with the Scottish Associations of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC). The year-long sponsorship deal will see SPEN attend SAYFC events and raise awareness of hazards of working so close to electricity on farmland. In the past year there was a 40 per cent rise in the number of incidents on farmland involving Utility Week Awards Deadline extension 23 September 2016 The deadline for entries to the Utility Week Awards 2016 has been extended by two weeks. The new deadline for entries is Friday 23 September. We are looking for those compa- nies that go above and beyond the call of duty, so we will be asking you to demonstrate that you had ambitious aims, proportionate to the size of your company, and that you met or exceeded them. The 14 award categories recognise excellence across the industry, no matter what the sector, the size of the company or the scale of the project. The important dates to your diary are: • Entry deadline - Friday 23 September • Shortlist announced - Friday 7 October • Award ceremony - Monday 12 December Utility Week would like to thank Capgemini, Vision Consulting, Tech Mahindra and Lowri Beck for their support of the 2016 Awards. "People shouldn't face a gamble on getting good customer service. All suppliers must step up their efforts to make sure they are delivering a consistently high standard for their customers." Gillian Guy, chief executive, Citizens Advice "The biggest barrier to innovation is the market uncertainty… while energy storage innovations are much needed, there are question marks about commercial viability." Antoni Martinez, CTO of Renewable Energy at KIC InnoEnergy electricity that were reported to SPEN, totalling 730. SPEN director Guy Jefferson said: "Working near powerlines can prove fatal if the right pre- cautions are not taken, and with the increasing height of modern farm machinery, the risks of contacting a power cable are very real. It is vital that young farmers are aware of the danger and that they know how to stay safe." ELECTRICTY SPEN teams up with farmers to promote safety