Public Electricity Supplier
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Public Electricity Supplier (PES) was the name given to fourteen companies created during the privatisation of the electricity market in the United Kingdom . In England and Wales the Central Electricity Generating Board was responsible for the generation and transmission of electricity, while 12 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 1990 as part of the privatisation of the electricity system in England and Wales the Area Electric Boards where 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 privatized. In 1991 the vertically integrated Scottish boards where mainly privatized as is with the exception of their nuclear plants which was passed to Scottish Nuclear and later privatized as part of British Energy.
In 2000 as part of further restructuring of the market under the Utilities Act 2000 the Public Electricity Suppliers where required to have separate licenses for their supply business and distribution networks which were renamed as Distribution Network Operators (DNOs).
