1986

British Gas privatised

February 1988

Government White Paper 'Privatising Electricity' published

March 1988

Government White Paper 'Privatisation of the Scottish Electricity Industry' published

November 1988

Electricity Bill presented to Parliament

July 1989

Electricity Pool of England and Wales commenced trading

March 1990

Electricity Association formed

March 1990

Electricity Pool of England and Wales commenced trading

March 1990

Offer assumed responsibility for Electricity regulation

March 1991

60% of National Power and PowerGen floated on stock market

March 1991

Government White Paper 'Privatisation of Northern Ireland Electricity' published

June 1991

Hydro and ScottishPower floated on stock market

February 1992

Electricity ( Northern Ireland ) Order 1992 published

June 1993

Northern Ireland Electricity floated on stock market

March 1995

Remaining 40% of National Power and PowerGen floated on stock market

March 1995

Government 'golden share' in English RECs ended

December 1995

National Grid Group floated on stock market

April 1996

Domestic gas customers first able to switch supplier

July 1996

British Energy floated on stock market

December 1996

Government sold virtually all remaining shares in British Energy, ScottishPower, Hydro-Electric , Northern Ireland Electricity, National Power and PowerGen with the exception of their 'golden share'

March 1998

Government Green Paper 'A fair deal for consumers:modernising the framework for utility regulation' published.

May 1998

Domestic gas market fully open to competition

September 1998

Domestic Electricity customers first able to switch suppliers

October 1998

Opening of the Interconnector gas pipeline between Bacton , East Anglia & Zeebrugge, Belgium

January 1999

The roles of the Office of Gas Supply and the Office of Electricity Regulation were merged to become OFGEM

May 1999

Domestic electricity market fully open to competition

June 1999

Ofgem formed

October 1999

Introduction of new gas trading arrangements to the wholesale gas markets

January 2000

Utilities Bill introduced in the House of Commons

July 2000

Utilities Act 2000 received Royal Assent Energywatch launched

November 2000

Energywatch launched

March 2001

New Electricity Trading Arrangements introduced for wholesale electricity

April 2002

National Grid and Lattice agree terms of merger to become National Grid Transco

2002

Domestic price controls lifted

October 2002

National Grid Transco formed following completion of merger