National Grid plc

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National Grid plc
Type	Public (LSE: NG)
Founded	1990
Headquarters	London, Warwick
Key people	Sir John Parker, Chairman Steve Holliday, Chief Executive
Industry	Utilities
Products	Electricity and Gas Transmission
Revenue	£9,193 million GBP (2006)
Operating income	£2,527 million GBP (2006)
Net income	£3,850 million GBP (2006)
Employees	20,529 (2006)
Website	www.nationalgrid.com

National Grid plc is a United Kingdom based utilities company which also operates in other countries, principally in the United States. The company adopted its current name in July 2005 when shareholders agreed the change from National Grid Transco plc. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. The London Stock Exchange ticker is NG.

Contents 1 Organisation 2 History 2.1 Timeline 3 See also 4 External links

[edit] Organisation

• Australia
  • National Grid Australia
    Owns and operates the Basslink high-voltage direct current transmission link between the Australian mainland and Tasmania.
• UK
  • National Grid Electricity Transmission plc (formerly National Grid Company)
    Owns and operates the National Grid high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales. Since April 1, 2005 it also operates the electricity transmission network in Scotland (although this is still owned by Scottish Power and Scottish & Southern Energy).
  • National Grid Gas plc (formerly Transco)
    Gas transmission (from terminals to distributors) and distribution (from national network to customers).
  • National Grid Wireless (formerly Crown Castle UK)
    Telecommunications infrastructure and TV broadcast transmission.
• US
  • National Grid
    Transmission in north-eastern United States. The company also owns five electricity distribution companies.

[edit] History

In 1990 the transmission activities of the Central Electricity Generating Board were transferred to the National Grid Company plc which was owned by the 12 Regional Electricity Companies (RECs) through a holding company, National Grid Group plc. In 1995 shares in this holding company were listed on the stock exchange. Within a year most of the RECs had disposed of their interests.

In 2002 National Grid Group merged with Lattice Group plc, owner of Transco - the UK gas distribution business (Lattice demerged from BG Group in 2000). National Grid Group changed its name to National Grid Transco plc.

In 2005. National Grid Transco was renamed National Grid plc. On July 26, 2005 National Grid Company was renamed National Grid Electricity Transmission plc and on October 10, 2005 Transco was renamed National Grid Gas plc.

In February 2006 National Grid announced that it had agreed to buy KeySpan Corporation, a gas distributor in the United States, for $7.3bn (£4.1bn) in cash. The deal is subject to government and regulatory approval and endorsement by the shareholders of the two companies. [1]

[edit] Timeline

• 1990 - CEGB's activities split; its transmission function going to the National Grid Company plc (NGC) owned by the 12 newly privatised Regional Electricity Companies.
• 1995 - National Grid Group plc (holding company of NGC) listed on London Stock Exchange.
• 1996 - By this time most of the RECs have disposed of their interests in the National Grid Group
• 1997 - British Gas plc becomes BG plc and Centrica following a demerger.
• 1999 - BG plc becomes BG Group plc and creates two new subsidiaries BG Group and Lattice Group (which includes Transco, the gas transportation business)
• 2002 - Lattice Group merges with National Grid Group to create National Grid Transco plc
• 2005 - National Grid Transco renamed National Grid plc.

[edit] See also

• European Transmission System Operators
• Energy policy of the United Kingdom
• Energy use and conservation in the United Kingdom
• Scotia Gas Networks

[edit] External links

• Corporate site
• UK site
• Yahoo profile