The privatisation of the UK electricity industry: a case of unfinished business

The privatisation of the UK electricity supply industry (ESI) has been, by any test, a process of great importance, both economically and politically. Although the process is not yet complete, the Energy Programme at the Science Policy Research Unit at Sussex University considered that the experience of some six years from the initial privatisation allowed considerable scope for a nonpartisan analysis of the record so far and of the issues outstanding. The lessons learnt so far, managing competition, ESI and primary energy, and the relevance of UK experience to other countries.