Consultation on a new electricity retail market procedure - Market Change Request 5005

The Utility Regulator has issued a consultation paper to seek responses on a proposed market procedure that would allow a Customer Bulk Transfer when an electricity supplier intends to exit a market segment(s) voluntarily.

In line with the Market Registration Code (MRC) Change Control Procedure, we have been asked by the Central Design Authority (CDA) to approve (or otherwise) Market Change Request 5005 (MCR 5005). 

MCR5005 pertains to the creation of a new market procedure (MP NI 40) that would enable suppliers to complete a Customer Bulk Transfer and subsequently allow a supplier to complete a partial market exit from one or more market sector(s) on their own accord.

We are consulting on this MCR as the changes could affect multiple stakeholders should a supplier decide to leave the market by decertifying in one or more market categories.

MCR 5005 could potentially impact a variety of stakeholders, particularly customers who would be subject to Customer Bulk Transfer. It is important that we consider views from all stakeholders in relation to this Change Request prior to a decision being made.

Additional information:

• Your response may be made public by the Utility Regulator. If you do not want all or part of your response or name made public, please state this clearly in the response by marking your response as ‘CONFIDENTIAL’.
• If you want other information that you provide to be treated as confidential, please be aware that, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, there is a statutory Code of Practice with which public authorities must comply and which deals, amongst other things, with obligations of confidence. In view of this, it would be helpful if you could explain to us why you regard the information you have provided as confidential.
• Information provided in response to this consultation, including personal information, may be subject to publication or disclosure in accordance with the access to information regimes (these are primarily the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Data Protection Act 2018.
• As stated in the GDPR Privacy Statement for consumers and stakeholders, any personal data contained within your response will be deleted once the matter being consulted on has been concluded, though the substance of the response may be retained.
• Copies of all documents can be made available in large print, Braille, audio cassette and a variety of relevant minority languages if required.

Ways to respond