Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order is made only for purposes corresponding to those of the provisions of the Competition and Service (Utilities) Act 1992 mentioned in section 54(2) of that Act (amendments of electricity legislation).

Article 3 provides, in connection with regulations and determinations about standards of performance, for research into the views of customers. Article 4 requires a public electricity supplier to inform his customers about his overall performance and Article 5 requires him to establish a procedure for dealing with complaints.

Article 6 enables provision to be made by regulations giving the Director General of Electricity Supply for Northern Ireland power to determine disputes with certain customers about the accuracy of bills. Article 7 places upon a public electricity supplier a statutory duty to comply with standards of overall performance and Article 8 gives the Director power, where there is a dispute between a customer and a public electricity supplier about the terms of supply, to order the supplier to provide a supply of electricity pending the determination of the dispute.