ESB Group
The Electricity Supply Board (Irish: Bord Soláthair an Leictreachais), commonly known as the ESB, is a state owned (95%) electricity company operating in the Republic of Ireland. While historically a monopoly, the ESB now operates as a commercial semi-state concern in a liberalised and competitive market. It is a statutory corporation whose members are appointed by the Government of Ireland.
Business areas
The ESB is composed of several distinct, separate and legally demarcated companies. By business area, the principal companies are:
ESB Networks Limited: Construction and maintenance of the electricity transmission system is managed by ESB Networks Limited and the system is operated by independent state company EirGrid.
ESB Generation and Wholesale Markets (ESB GWM): operates a portfolio of power stations across the country, along with holdings in wind and other renewables. Wholesale market share is currently below fifty percent.
ESB Electric Ireland The ESB title has been dropped per CER ruling(previously ESB Customer Supply and ESB Independent Energy): a regulated supply company functionally separate from ESB Networks Limited and ESB GWM, is one of three companies (as of 18 February 2009) operating in the domestic market. Since 4 April 2011 the Commission for Energy Regulation no longer sets ESB Electric Ireland's prices, the trade off for this is that the division will be required to rebrand to remove the ESB name, to "remove confusion" between the ESB's role as operator of the electricity network and a supplier in that market. From January 2012, it will be known simply as Electric Ireland and will not use the ESB brand at all, though it will remain a part of the ESB.
