OFREG Seeks Views on Debt

OFREG is currently working with market participants to effectively open the retail electricity market to competition for all customers by July 2007. One issue which has arisen is what the Change of Supplier process will be for domestic customers who are deemed to be in debt. OFREG acting on behalf of The Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation (the Authority) today published a consultation paper entitled ” the change of supplier process for customers who are in debt - domestic market opening”.

The paper can be viewed by clicking link below or alternatively a paper copy can be obtained from Kenneth Dane by contacting him either in writing at Ofreg, Queens House, 14 Queen Street, Belfast, BT1 6ER, or by telephone on 028 9031 6646 or by Fax. on 028 9031 1740 or email kenneth.dane@ofregni.gov.uk.

Responses are required on or before Monday 17 July 2006 preferably by electronic mail to kenneth.dane@ofregni.gov.uk.

Please indicate if your reply is confidential and therefore cannot be published.

Please include a one page summary with your response

Copies of the paper will be made available in large print, Braille, audio cassette and a variety of relevant minority languages if required.

Notes for Editors

OFREG (the Office for the Regulation of Electricity and Gas) supports the Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation (NIAER) the regulator of the Electrcity and Gas industries in Northern Ireland. NIAER’s powers are derived from the Electricity (Northern Ireland) Order 1992, the Gas (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 both as amended by the Energy (Northern Ireland) Order 2003.

For further information contact Terry McErlane at Weber Shandwick Telephone 028 90761007 or 07770886911