Title and commencementN.I.

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Competition and Service (Electricity) (Northern Ireland) Order 1992.

(2) This Order shall come into operation on such day or days as the Head of the Department of Economic Development may by order appointF1.

InterpretationN.I.

2.—(1) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954F2 shall apply to Article 1 and the following provisions of this Order as it applies to a Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

(2) In this Order “the Electricity Order” means the Electricity (Northern Ireland) Order 1992F3.

Research concerning views of customersN.I.

3.—(1) In Article 42 of the Electricity Order (electricity supply: performance in individual cases), for paragraph (1) there shall be substituted the following paragraph—

“(1) Regulations may, after—

(a)consultation with public electricity suppliers and with persons or bodies appearing to the Director to be representative of persons likely to be affected; and

(b)arranging for such research as the Director considers appropriate with a view to discovering the views of a representative sample of persons likely to be affected and considering the results,

prescribe such standards of performance in connection with the provision by such suppliers of electricity supply services to tariff customers as, in the opinion of the Director, ought to be achieved in individual cases.” .

(2) In Article 43 of the Electricity Order (electricity supply: overall performance), in paragraph (1) the words from “after” to “affected” shall cease to have effect and after that paragraph there shall be inserted the following paragraph—

“(1A) The Director may only make a determination under paragraph (1)( a) after—

(a)consultation with public electricity suppliers and with persons or bodies appearing to him to be representative of persons likely to be affected; and

(b)arranging for such research as the Director considers appropriate with a view to discovering the views of a representative sample of persons likely to be affected and considering the results.” .

Information to be given to customers about overall performanceN.I.

4.  After Article 45 of the Electricity Order there shall be inserted the following Article—

“Information to be given to customers about overall performance

45A.—(1) Each public electricity supplier shall, in such form and manner and with such frequency as the Director may direct, take steps to inform his customers of—

(a)the standards of overall performance determined under Article 43 which are applicable to that supplier; and

(b)that supplier's level of performance as respects each of those standards.

(2) In giving any such direction, the Director shall not specify a frequency of less than once in every period of 12 months.”.

Procedures for dealing with complaintsN.I.

5.  After Article 45A of the Electricity Order there shall be inserted the following Articles—

“Procedures for dealing with complaints

45B.—(1) Each public electricity supplier shall establish a procedure for dealing with complaints made by his customers or potential customers in connection with the provision of electricity supply services.

(2) No such procedure shall be established, and no modification of such a procedure shall be made, unless—

(a)the supplier has consulted the consumer committee; and

(b)the proposed procedure or modification has been approved by the Director.

(3) The supplier shall—

(a)publicise the procedure in such manner as may be approved by the Director; and

(b)send a description of the procedure, free of charge, to any person who asks for one.

(4) The Director may give a direction to any public electricity supplier requiring the supplier to review his procedure or the manner in which it operates.

(5) A direction under paragraph (4)—

(a)may specify the manner in which the review is to be conducted; and

(b)shall require a written report of the review to be made to the Director.

(6) Where the Director receives a report under paragraph (5)(b), he may, after consulting the supplier, direct him to make such modifications of—

(a)the procedure; or

(b)the manner in which the procedure operates,

as may be specified in the direction.

(7) Paragraph (2) does not apply to any modification made in compliance with a direction under paragraph (6).”.

Billing disputesN.I.

F46.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Compliance with standards of overall performanceN.I.

7.  In Article 43 of the Electricity Order (electricity supply: overall performance) the following paragraph shall be added at the end—

“(3) It shall be the duty of every public electricity supplier to conduct his business in such a way as can reasonably be expected to lead to his achieving the standards set under this Article.” .

Determination of disputes by Director: interim directionsN.I.

8.—(1) The power of the Director General of Electricity Supply for Northern Ireland, under Article 26(2) of the Electricity Order, to require a public electricity supplier to continue a supply of electricity pending the Director's determination of a dispute shall be extended to enable the Director to require the giving of a supply of electricity pending such a determination.

(2) Accordingly, in Article 26(2) of the Electricity Order, the words “to continue”, in both places where they occur, shall cease to have effect.

Article 9—Amendments and repeals