National Grid appears to have faced down calls for an independent system operator to be appointed and is unlikely to be broken up, according to the Financial Times.
Citing ‘officials briefed on the matter’, the FT reports that Grid will appoint new directors to its system operator business and strengthen the ‘Chinese walls’ between its businesses to reduce perceived conflicts of interest.
Meanwhile, independent energy supplier GB Energy has ceased trading, citing rising wholesale prices for its demise.
The company had 160,000 customers. Analysts have warned that smaller energy companies may struggle to remain afloat now that wholesale energy prices are on the turn after several years in the doldrums.
GB Energy is the second small supplier to shut down operations this year. Tempus Energy closed its supply operation this summer.
Related stories:
National Grid says regime change would destabilise market
Tempus Energy closes energy supply business
Limejump boss: Big six will have to acquire demand-response aggregators ‘or fall by the wayside’
Rudd sees “strong case” for more independent system operator
Smartgrids ‘require local control and businesses must play or pay’
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