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Public electricity supplier

Public electricity suppliers (PES) were the fourteen electricity companies created in Great Britain in 1990, when the electricity market in the United Kingdom was privatised following the Electricity Act 1989. The Utilities Act 2000 subsequently split these companies between distribution network operators and separate supply companies.

History
England and Wales On 31 March 1990 the twelve area electricity boards were changed into independent regional electricity companies (RECs) and the CEGB was split into four parts: three generation companies and the National Grid Company, operator of the National Grid. The National Grid Company was placed under the ownership of the RECs. On 11 December 1990 the RECs were privatised. In 2000, as part of further restructuring under the Utilities Act 2000, the PES were required to have separate licences for their supply business and distribution network. The companies holding the distribution licences became known as distribution network operators (DNOs). Scotland The Scottish boards were privatised whole in 1991 with the exception of the nuclear plants, which passed to Scottish Nuclear and were later privatised as part of British Energy. ==Companies==
Companies
East Midlands Electricity Formerly the East Midlands Electricity Board. Acquired by Powergen in 1998, which was itself taken over by multinational E.ON in 2002. The retail supply business continues to operate as E.ON UK. After Powergen also acquired MEB in 2004, the two distribution networks were merged under the Central Networks name. The combined network was sold in 2011 and is now part of Western Power Distribution. Eastern Electricity Formerly the Eastern Electricity Board. Acquired by Hanson plc in 1995. Demerged from Hanson as part of The Energy Group, which 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, and the operations were rebranded in 2004. The distribution business was owned by EDF. Now owned by UK Power Networks along with London Electricity and SEEBOARD. London Electricity Formerly the London Electricity Board. Acquired by US-based Entergy in 1996 for £1.3bn ($2.1bn). Acquired by EDF International in 1998, which merged it with SEEBOARD and Eastern Electricity to form EDF Energy. Now owned by UK Power Networks. Manweb Formerly the Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board. Manweb plc was acquired by Scottish Power in 1995. Scottish Power was in turn acquired by the Spanish energy utility Iberdrola during 2017, although it continues to use Scottish Power branding on domestic sales of gas and electricity. The DNO for the area is SP Manweb plc, a subsidiary of SP Energy Networks. Midlands Electricity Formerly the Midlands Electricity Board. Originally acquired in 1996 by a consortium of US companies GPU and Cinergy, after a bid by Powergen was blocked by government. The electricity retail business was sold to National Power in 1999 and continues under the Npower brand. The distribution business that remained was purchased by Powergen in 2004 During 2020, SSE's retail business was sold to Ovo Energy. The distribution networks in Scotland and the south of England remain part of SSE plc and now trade under the name Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks. Scottish Power The South of Scotland Electricity Board became Scottish Power plc. In 2007 it was acquired by the Spanish energy utility Iberdrola, under SP Energy Networks. which led to its break-up. The electricity retail business was initially sold to British Energy in June 1999 and then again in 2000 to Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE plc). During 2020, SSE's retail business was sold to Ovo Energy. South Western Electricity Formerly the South Western Electricity Board, it was acquired by London Electricity (owned by EDF) in 1999. The distribution business is part of Western Power Distribution and the retail business is part of EDF Energy. Southern Electric Formerly the Southern Electricity Board, the company merged with Scottish Hydro-Electric plc to form Scottish & Southern Energy in 1998. During 2020, SSE's retail business was sold to Ovo Energy. The distribution network remains part of SSE plc and now trades under the name Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks. Yorkshire Electricity Formerly the Yorkshire Electricity Board. Sold to Innogy (now npower) in 2001, and to the German utility RWE the following year. Now RWE npower, but most domestic marketing is under the npower brand. The electricity distribution business is operated by Northern Powergrid, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy. ==See also==
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