153.This section enables the Secretary of State to make provision in electricity capacity regulations for the provision and publication of information including: to require the Authority and the national system operator, or any other person specified in the regulations to provide information or advice; for the Authority and the national system operator to require the provision of information for a purpose specified in the regulations; to require capacity providers and electricity suppliers to share information with one another and with any person named in the regulations; for the publication of information or advice; for the classification and protection of commercial or sensitive information; and for the enforcement of these requirements to provide, publish or protect information or advice.
154.These provisions mean, for example in relation to subsection (2)(b), that the national system operator could require the provision of any information specified in the regulations regarding the operation of the Capacity Market necessary to enable it to administer it, and to report to the Secretary of State on this. In addition, the Secretary of State could for instance, by subsection (2)(d), provide for a body such as the national system operator or an expert group to publish information regarding the operation of the Capacity Market in order to support transparency and accountability of the participants and the administration. Some information, for example relating to forecasts of available capacity some years ahead, may be based upon commercially sensitive or confidential information. Subsection (2)(e) enables regulations to include provision about the protection of any such information.