Regional Electricity Companies
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In March 1990, twelve Regional Electricity Companies (RECs) in England and Wales, known by law as public electricity suppliers, were formed as part of the restructuring of the electricity industry in England and Wales, prior to privatisation.
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 privatised.
Privatisation in Scotland occurred in 1991.
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).
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[edit] Public Electricity Suppliers
[edit] Scottish Power
Formerly the South of Scotland Electricity Board became Scottish Power Plc
[edit] 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
[edit] East Midlands Electricity
Formerly (pre-privatisation) East Midlands Electricity Board. Acquired by Powergen in 1998. Rebranded with MEB as Central Networks in April 2004.
[edit] Eastern Electricity
Acquired by Hanson plc in 1995. Demerged from Hanson as part of The Energy Group plc. Now part of EDF Energy.
[edit] London Electricity
Formerly London Electricity Board. Acquired by US based Entergy in 1996 for £1.3bn ($2.1bn). Acquired by EDF International in 1998, who merged it with SEEBOARD to form EDF Energy.
[edit] MANWEB
Formerly Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board. Manweb plc was acquired by Scottish Power in 1995, now SP Manweb plc.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Northern Electric
Formerly North Eastern Electricity Board. Today operated by CE Electric UK, a subsidiary of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company.
[edit] NORWEB
Formerly North Western Electricity Board.
[edit] SEEBOARD
Formerly South Eastern Electricity Board.
[edit] South Wales Electricity
Formerly South Wales Electricity Board. SWALEC
[edit] South Western Electricity
Formerly South Western Electricity Board, SWEB was acquired by London Electricity (owned by EDF) in 1999.
[edit] Southern Electric
Formerly Southern Electricity Board.
[edit] Yorkshire Electricity
Formerly Yorkshire Electricity Board
