England and Wales
323.England and Wales currently operates as a single wholesale electricity market. The New Electricity Trading Arrangements (“NETA”) came into effect in March 2001, replacing the Electricity Pool. The Pool was a relatively centralised market that determined the wholesale price of electricity. The trading arrangements under NETA, in contrast, are based on the bilateral trading of electricity contracts between generators, suppliers, traders and customers. They operate as far as possible like other commodity markets with a forward and futures market that allows contracts for electricity to be struck well in advance and for short-term power exchanges which give participants the opportunity to ‘fine tune’ their contract positions. The Government, and Ofgem in particular, have continued to work closely with industry, through consultations and other means, to improve the mechanisms in place under NETA to ensure it works as effectively and competitively as possible. A brief overview of NETA is also available on the Ofgem web site.
