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Electricity Market Reform

What the latest changes to energy policy mean for large businesses.

Electricity Market Reform (EMR) in a nutshell

EMR is a major change to the UK’s energy policy to make sure:

  • The UK can generate enough electricity for everyone in the future, as half of existing generation capacity is due to close over the next 15 years
     
  • The UK can generate more electricity from low carbon sources to meet climate change commitments
     
  • With all the necessary investment, electricity can remain affordable for UK households and businesses.

We won’t add any charges relating to EMR to your existing contracts. When you signed your contract, we said your electricity price was fixed – and we meant it. 

We all know that demand for electricity is increasing but nearly half of the UK’s generating capacity is due to retire within 15 years. And much of the new-build low carbon generation is intermittent.

The Capacity Market is designed to encourage generators to invest and then generate electricity, and large users to use less electricity when the network most needs it. It’s one step closer to more active management of demand in the electricity network, ensuring we all have enough affordable electricity when we need it most.

The process is managed through an auction set-up so that the most competitive prices are set. Capacity Providers who are successful in the auction are awarded Capacity Agreements, which confirm their Capacity Market Obligation and the level of Capacity payments that they will be entitled to receive, which are based on the auction clearing price. 

Get in touch

If you're a qualified Capacity Provider and require Supplier assistance for meeting your Obligation, you can get in touch with us at the I&C D0354 Mailbox.