National Grid, the operator of the British electricity system, and UK Power Networks press the UK authorities to change the regulations on storage so that it will be able to compete with the "Big Six" utilities and offer its own energy storage.
Under the current legislation, National Grid and other distribution network operators do not have the right to expand their own storage because it is seen as a "generation" activity. The idea with the regulatory change would be to allow them to own storage and manage the system better, in particular in a context of renewables growth. Storage capacity could help them to be able to balance the electricity system and save money.
The "Big Six" include the 6 large vertically integrated companies which account for around 70% of the country's electricity production, namely: EDF Energy, RWE npower, Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), E.ON UK, ScottishPower and Centrica.
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