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At the time of privatisation of the electricity industry there were fourteen Public Electricity Suppliers (PESs) in UK who replaced the old area and Scottish electricity boards.
Thirteen years on, whilst the geographical areas of these former PESs remain unchanged the industry itself is somewhat different and this is discussed in greater detail in Background to the UK Energy Industry.
Today, whilst distribution has been separated altogether from supply, the former PES areas are used as the basis of current day distribution areas.
Distribution remains a monopoly business and under the Utilities Act 2000 it is now a licensed activity. Whilst this applies throughout the UK, the structure in England and Wales is different than it is in Scotland.
In England and Wales there are nine distribution companies operating twelve licensed distribution areas.
In Scotland distribution is operated by two vertically integrated energy companies who in addition to operating their respective distribution businesses they are also responsible for generation and transmission throughout the Scotland.
Each distribution company holds a separate licence for each area they cover and they are strictly governed by the terms of that licence. They have a statutory duty to connect any customer requiring electricity within their area and to thereafter maintain the supply to them.
Distribution companies are now known as DNOs (Distribution Network Operators) and as part of the legislation within the Utilities Act 2000 they have an obligation to be non-discriminatory in all aspects of their business. Additionally, they must maintain an efficient cost effective and coordinated system to distribute electricity.
Licences are granted by OFGEM (The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets) and as these are effectively monopolies they are regulated through a price control mechanism which is reset every four or five years.
Our UK Generation Map will allow you to identify what DNO area you reside in.
Whilst the number of Distribution Licences remains unchanged the whole UK Energy Market is going through a period of consolidation and the ultimate owner’s of the individual DNOs continues to change.
We have therefore attempted to provide some clarity as to the current ultimate owners and a brief history on each distribution business since privatisation (The table does not provide information on the associated supply businesses.
DNO Name : East Midlands Electricity
Owner : Powergen
Ultimate Parent : E.ON – German publicly quoted
History
Pre-privatisation : East Midlands Electricity Board
Mar 31 1990 : vested as East Midlands Electricity plc
Dec 11 1990 : floated on stock market
Jan 10 1997 : taken over by Dominion Resources
Jul 27 1998 : sold to PowerGen
DNO Name : EPN Distibution
Owner : LE Group
Ultimate Parent : EdF – French Government
History
Pre-privatisation : Eastern Electricity
Mar 31 1990 : vested as Eastern Electricity plc
Sep 18 1995 : Hanson plc takeover
Feb 24 1997 : unbundled from Hanson and floated
Sep 1 1998 : taken over by TXU Europe
Nov 9 1999 : renamed TXU Europe
Jan 18 2002 : sold to LE Group
DNO Name : London Power Networks
Owner : LE Group
Ultimate Parent : EdF – French Government
History
Pre-privatisation : London Electricity Board
Mar 31 1990 : vested as London Electricity plc
Dec 11 1990 : floated on stock market
Feb 7 1997 : sold to Entergy Power UK plc
Dec 31 1998 : sold to EdF International
Jan 2001 : structure changed to LE Group
DNO Name : SP Manweb
Owner : Scottish Power UK plc
Ultimate Owner : Scottish Power UK plc – UK publicly quoted
History
Pre-privatisation : Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board
Mar 31 1990 : vested as Manweb plc
Dec 11 1990 : floated on stock market
Oct 12 1995 : taken over by Scottish Power
DNO Name : Aquila Networks
Owner : Aquila 79.9%
First Energy 20.1%
Ultimate Owner : Aquila 79.9% - US Investor Owned
First Energy 20.1% - US Investor Owned
History
Pre-privatisation : Midlands Electricity Board
Mar 31 1990 : vested as Midlands Electricity plc
Dec 11 1990 : floated on stock market
Jun 7 1996 : taken over by Avon Energy Partners
Mar 20 2000 : renamed GPU Power UK
May 8 2002 : Aquila purchase 79.9% of Avon Energy Partners
May 8 2002 : renamed Aquila Networks
DNO Name : Northern Electric Distribution
Owner : MidAmerican Energy
Ultimate Owner : Berkshire Hathaway –US private company
History
Pre-privatisation : North Eastern Electricity Board
Mar 31 1990 : vested as Northern Electric plc
Dec 11 1990 : floated on stock market
Dec 24 1996 : taken over by CE Electric
Jan 2 1998 : sold to MidAmerican Energy
DNO name : United Utilities Electricity
Owner : United Utilities
Ultimate Owner : United Utilities plc - UK publicly quoted
History
Pre-privatisation : North Western Electricity Board
Mar 31 1990 : vested a NORWEB plc
Dec 11 1990 : floated on stock market
Nov 8 1995 : taken over by North West Water
Aug 3 2000 : renamed Norweb Distribution
Apr 1 2001 : renamed United Utilities
Nov 26 2001 : renamed United Utilities Electricity
DNO Name : SP Distribution
Owner : Scottish Power UK plc
Ultimate Owner : Scottish Power UK plc – UK publicly quoted
History
Pre-privatisation : South of Scotland Electricity Board
Mar 31 1990 : vested as ScottishPower plc
Jun 18 1991 : floated on stock market
DNO Name : SHE Power Distribution
Owner : Scottish and Southern Energy plc
Ultimate Owner : Scottish and Southern Energy plc – UK publicly quoted
History
Pre-privatisation : North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board
Mar 31 1990 : vested as Scottish Hydro-Electric plc
Jun 18 1991 : floated on stock market
Dec 14 1998 : merged with Southern Electric to form
Scottish and Southern Energy plc
DNO Name : SEEBOARD Power Networks
Owner : LE Group
Ultimate Owner : EdF – French Government
History
Pre-privatisation : South Eastern Electricity Board
Mar 31 1990 : vested as SEEBOARD plc
Dec 11 1990 : floated on stock market
Jan 11 1996 : taken over by CSW
Jun 15 2000 : CSW merged with American Electric Power
Jun 18 2002 : agreement to sell to LE Group
Jul 29 2002 : LE purchase SEEBOARD
DNO Name : SE Power Distribution
Owner : Scottish and Southern Energy plc
Ultimate Owner : Scottish and Southern Energy plc – UK publicly quoted
History
Pre-privatisation : Southern Electricity Board
Mar 31 1990 : vested as Southern Electric plc
Dec 11 1990 : floated on stock market
Dec 14 1998 : merged with Scottish Hydro-Electric plc to form
Scottish and Southern Energy plc
DNO Name : Western Power Distribution
Owner : PPL
Ultimate Owner : PPL – US Investor Owned
History
Pre-privatisation : South Wales Electricity Board
Mar 31 1990 : vested as South Wales Electricity plc
Dec 11 1990 : floated on stock market
Jan 29 1996 : taken over by Welsh Water becoming part of Hyder plc
Feb 17 2000 : renamed Infralec
Sep 15 2000 : Hyder bought by Western Power Distribution
DNO Name : Western Power Distribution
Owner : PPL
Ultimate Owner : PPL – US Investor Owned
History
Pre-privatisation : South Western Electricity Board
Mar 31 1990 : vested as South Western Electricity plc
Dec 11 1990 : floated on stock market
Sep 18 1995 : taken over by Southern Electric International
Jul 1 1996 : Southern sold 25% stake to PPL Global Inc
Jun 18 1996 : PPL stake increased to 51%
Oct 1 1999 : renamed Western Power Distribution
DNO Name : YE Distribution
Owner : MidAmerican 94.75%
Xcel Energy 5.25%
Ultimate Owner : Mid American – US Private Company
Xcel – US Investor Owned
History
Pre-privatisation : Yorkshire Electricity Board
Mar 31 1990 : vested as Yorkshire Electricity Group plc
Dec 11 1990 : floated on stock market
Apr 1 1997 : taken over by AEP and PS Colorado
Jun 15 2000 : AEP merged with CSW
Apr 2 2001 : 94.75% purchased by Innogy
Sep 21 2001 : Innogy swap Yorkshire Electricity Distribution with a
MidAmerican
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