Regional Electricity Companies 2655363 221206497 2008-06-23T14:39:30Z Petrolmaps 913068 /* NORWEB */ '''Public Electricity Suppliers''' (''PES'')) were the fourteen companies created when the electricity market in the [[United Kingdom]] was [[privatised]]. In [[England]] and [[Wales]] the [[CEGB|Central Electricity Generating Board]] was responsible for the generation and transmission of electricity, while 12 [[Electricity Act 1947 UK|'''Area Electricity Boards''']] (AEB) were responsible for distribution and supply to consumers. In Scotland the structure was different with all aspects of generation, transmission, distribution and supply being carried out by two vertically integrated companies. On [[31 March|31. March]] [[1990]] as part of the privatisation of the electricity system in England and Wales the Area Electric Boards were changed into independent '''Regional Electricity Companies''' (RECs) and the CEGB was split into four companies, three generation companies and [[National Grid Company]], operator of the [[National Grid]]. The National Grid Company was placed under the ownership of the RECs. On December 11 1990 the RECs were privatised. In 1991, the vertically integrated Scottish boards were mainly privatised whole, with the exception of their nuclear plants which were passed to Scottish Nuclear, and later privatised as part of [[British Energy]]. In 2000, as part of further restructuring of the market under the [[Utilities Act 2000]], the Public Electricity Suppliers were required to have separate licenses for their supply business and distribution networks, which were renamed as [[Distribution Network Operators]] (DNOs). <table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" align="right" style="border-collapse: collapse"> <tr><td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#c8c8ff">'''Regional Electricity Companies''' <tr> <td> # East Midlands Electricity # Eastern Electricity # London Electricity # MANWEB # Midlands Electricity # Northern Electric # NORWEB # SEEBOARD # South Wales Electricity # South Western Electricity # Southern Electric # Yorkshire Electricity </td> <td>[[Image:REC_map.png|thumb|250px]] </td> </table> == Public Electricity Suppliers == === [[Scottish Power]] === Formerly the [[South of Scotland Electricity Board]] became Scottish Power Plc === [[Scottish Hydro-Electric]] === Formerly the [[North of Scotland Hydro Board]] became Scottish Hydro-Electric Plc then went on to merge with [[Southern Electric]] to become [[Scottish & Southern]] ===[[East Midlands Electricity]]=== Formerly (pre-privatisation) [[East Midlands Electricity Board]]. Acquired by [[Powergen]] in 1998. Rebranded with [[MEB]] as [[Central Networks]] in April 2004. The successor retail supply business is now part of [[E.ON_UK|E.On]]. ===[[Eastern Electricity]]=== Acquired by [[Hanson plc]] in 1995. Demerged from Hanson as part of [[The Energy Group|The Energy Group plc]]. The Energy Group was later sold to the US firm Texas Utilities and became TXU Energi, part of TXU Europe. In 2002 it was sold to Powergen, which was subsequently acquired by the German utility company [[E.ON_UK|E.On]], and the operations were rebranded in 2004. ===[[London Electricity]]=== Formerly [[London Electricity Board]]. Acquired by US based [[Entergy]] in 1996 for £1.3bn ($2.1bn). Acquired by [[EDF|EDF International]] in 1998, who merged it with SEEBOARD to form [[EDF Energy]]. ===[[MANWEB]]=== Formerly [[Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board]]. [[MANWEB|Manweb]] plc was acquired by [[Scottish Power]] in 1995, now SP Manweb plc. ===[[Midlands Electricity]] ([[MEB]])=== Formerly [[Midland Electricity Board]]. MEB or [[Midlands Electricity]] was subject of a takeover bid by Powergen in 1996, however this was blocked. The company eventually did acquire the company in January 2004. In April 2004 MEB and East Midlands Electricity rebranded as Central Networks for distribution, and the domestic supply business now uses the name of its German parent [[E.ON_UK|E.On]]. ===[[Northern Electric]]=== Formerly [[North Eastern Electricity Board]]. The electricity distribution business is today operated by [[CE Electric UK]], a subsidiary of [[MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company]]. The successor company to the retail supply business is [[Scottish Power]]. ===[[NORWEB]]=== Formerly [[North Western Electricity Board]]. Merged with Northwest Water in 1995 to form United Utilities, the electricity businesses of which were subsequently sold off, with the retail supply arm of Norweb becoming part of TXU Energi, and so now part of [[E.ON_UK|E.On]]. ===[[SEEBOARD]]=== Formerly [[South Eastern Electricity Board]]. ===[[South Wales Electricity]]=== Formerly [[South Wales Electricity Board]], later known as [[SWALEC]]. SWALEC was later acquired by [[Scottish & Southern]] Energy plc. ===[[South Western Electricity]]=== Formerly [[South Western Electricity Board]], [[SWEB]] was acquired by London Electricity (owned by EDF) in 1999. ===[[Southern Electric]]=== Formerly [[Southern Electricity Board]] merged in 1998 with [[Scottish Hydro-Electric]] plc to form [[Scottish & Southern]] Energy plc. ===[[Yorkshire Electricity]]=== Formerly [[Yorkshire Electricity Board]] ==External links== *[http://www.energylinx.co.uk/electricity_distribution_map.htm Map of current Electricity Distribution Operators] [[Category:Power companies of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Former nationalised industries of the United Kingdom]]