6.2 Regulated and unregulated businesses

In the new industry, neither the high-voltage network operated by the National Grid nor the DNOs generated or sold power to customers themselves. Instead, their function was to maintain and operate the power networks and manage the flow of power from the generating companies, along the wires, to users. Under the CEGB, domestic and commercial customers had previously had no choice but to buy power from their area electricity board. However, after the reorganisation consumers could instead buy their electricity from any one of a new group of suppliers . The suppliers might not own any power generating stations (although some own them now, either directly or indirectly) but instead would buy bulk electricity from the generating companies and sell it on to users. Major users buying electricity in bulk for their own use such as large industrial users would be able to bypass the electricity suppliers and choose from the competing generating companies.