We supported the successful accreditation and qualification of the first non-PES Licenced Distribution Services Operator (LDSO) to enter the UK electricity market.

Following the preparation for unbundling of Transco services and the electricity agent de-regulation, we have provided an on-going trouble shooting capability throughout the complex implementation of new commercial agent relationships, and the data migrations that were necessary.

In order to assist an entrant to the Albertan market, we have carried out a comparison of the Market Participant roles that are defined in the UK with those defined for the Albertan markets for electricity and gas.

Detailed preparation for the unbundling of Transco services in the gas market. Assisted in the design of the new dataflows to support the concept of the Supplier Hub.

For the Industry still to function, it becomes necessary for the Supplier to undertake the responsibilities of the Supplier Hub. Part of this concerns the sharing of meter asset information between the market participants, and the generation of new Industry standard dataflows to support this.

A high level design for an initiative to reduce costs and improve customer experience in the pre-payment sector of the electricity supply market. This required considerable ingenuity in the use of the electricity Industry DTC dataflows.

Strategic preparations for Agent De-regulation in the second tier electricity market. Agent De-regulation became an important opportunity for supplier cost reduction, but compliance testing and systems adaption were necessary in order to take advantage of this.

Analysis of system changes necessary to support Pool trialling and eventual market entry, leading to a high level design.

Impact assessments of Industry changes across the full scope of systems, from meter point registration to ongoing customer care, as they support the formal Data Transfer Catalogue and the End-to-End Industry processes.

Developed high level business process definitions for the operation of the second tier supply in the electricity market for 1998. This was in the context of a programme that covered a complete design for a new operating company and its relationships with customers, the regulator and the parent organisation.

Performed detailed analysis for the processes necessary for Prepayment Meter management and the minimisation of Illegal Abstraction. Also generated control information to assure that the requirements of CIDA (the Central Integration Design Authority set up by OFFER) had been met, and supported the detailed CIDA compliance tests for the new systems for all business processes - including registration, maintenance of site details, metering and customer contact. Represented the Supplier on matters affecting Prepayment Meters to other market participants and to OFFER.

Specification of an automated system to call for generation from a peaking plant based upon contract parameters. The system calculated the relative merit of generation within each half-hour period in order to maximise the return on capital employed.

Lead consultant for a six month functional architecture construction project. The scope of the architecture covered the telecommunications management network (TMN) processes in Performance Management, Fault Management and Configuration Management, and its objective was to improve the general operability of the network.

Development of a data improvement system to allow a major PES to fulfil its obligations to collect half-hour meter readings in the 100kW market to SLA requirements.

Performed a healthcheck review of IT plans to support the preparation of IT for the privatisation of British Coal. Subsequently appointed as programme manager of the overall project, coordinating eight significant individual projects.

The key strategic issues for the programme were:

• which systems were necessary to successor companies
• how should successors be supported in IT infrastructure terms
• whether any alterations to IT platforms should be entertained
• whether any alterations to application systems would be appropriate
• the management of risk that the privatisation date might be prejudiced, and ensuring that adequate contingency plans were in place.

It was necessary to achieve commitment to resolution of these key issues, and this was addressed through Board level presentations and strategic workshops. These structured workshops were based upon input generated by interviews throughout the operational departments of British Coal, giving a business focus to the determination of priorities for IT strategic and tactical work that followed. This focus was maintained throughout the project, and Board level management was involved on a regular basis.

Liaison meetings with major suppliers were held, and programme reports made to the client project sponsor, the IT Strategy Group and the ultimate 'shareholder' - the Department of Trade and Industry.