Office of the Gas and Electricity Markets

The office of the Gas and Electricity Markets regulates the companies which run the gas and electricity networks.  Ofgem is governed by an Authority, consisting of non-executive and executive members and a non-executive chair.  The Authority's powers and duties are largely provided for in statute, principally the Gas Act 1986, the Electricity Act 1989, the Utilities Act 2000, the Competition Act 1998, the Enterprise Act 2002 and the Energy Act 2004. 

The Authority’s principal objective is to protect the interests of existing and future consumers, by promoting effective competition between persons engaged in, or in commercial activities connected with, the shipping, transportation or supply of gas conveyed through pipes, and the generation, transmission, distribution or supply of electricity or the provision or use of electricity interconnectors.

OfGem also has the Consumer First Initiative.  One of its main jobs is to involve consumer research to inform key policy decisions. It also entails the dissemination of genuine consumer insight across the organization.

The programme expanded in October 2008 to include a Consumer First Panel, the Panel consists of 100 everyday domestic customers, recruited from five locations across Great Britain. The Panel discuss key issues impacting on their participation in the energy market, as well as other key issues related to energy. The associated Consumer Challenge Group gives informed insight in to high level policy decisions. The Challenge Group consists of six consumer experts who give detailed consumer insight into complex and high level policy decisions.

Useful links:
www.ofgem.gov.uk