Utilities Act 2000 Explanatory Notes

1. Introduction

2. Summary and Background

   1. Consumer provisions

   2. Gas and electricity regulation

   3. Wider social and environmental objectives

   4. Regulatory institutions and procedures

3. Overview of the Act

4. Commentary on Sections

   1. Part I: New Regulatory Arrangements

      1. Sections 1 - 8 and Schedules 1 - 3: New Regulatory Arrangements

   2. Part II: Objectives of Regulation of Gas and Electricity

      1. Sections 9 - 12 and 13 - 16: General duties under the Gas Act 1986 and the Electricity Act 1989

   3. Part Iii: Functions of the Council

      1. Sections 17 - 27 and Schedule 2 (paragraphs 10 - 14): Functions of the Gas and Electricity Consumer Council

   4. Part Iv: Amendment of the Electricity Act 1989

      1. Sections 28 – 43: Electricity licensing; and sections 74 – 75, 81 – 83 and 85 – 88: Gas licensing

      2. Sections 44 - 50: Duties of electricity distributors

      3. Sections 51 – 53, 84 and Schedules 4 and 5: Electricity licence holders (and ‘The gas code’)

      4. Sections 54 – 58 and 89 – 94: Electricity and gas performance standards

      5. Sections 59 - 60, and 95 - 96: Enforcement of obligations of electricity and gas licence holders

      6. Section 61 and 97: Remuneration and service standards

      7. Sections 62 - 67: Electricity from renewable sources

      8. Sections 68 – 73 (electricity), Sections 98 - 99 and 102 (gas) and Section 103 (overall energy efficiency targets): Miscellaneous

   5. Part V: Amendment of the Gas Act 1986

      1. Sections 74 - 88: Gas licensing

      2. Sections 89 - 94: Gas performance standards

      3. Sections 95 - 96: Enforcement of obligations of gas licence holders

      4. Section 97: Remuneration and service standards

      5. Sections 98 - 102: Miscellaneous

   6. Part VI: Miscellaneous and Supplementary

      1. Sections 103 - 105: Miscellaneous

      2. Sections 106 – 110 and Schedules 6 - 8: Supplementary

5. Commencement

6. Hansard References