Catalogue description Records of the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM)

The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets was created by administrative action in 1999, bringing together the Office of Electricity Regulation (HB) and the Office of Gas Supply (FA). As a result of provisions of the Utilities Act 2000 the legal powers under which OFGEM operated became those of the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority.

The Utilities Act 2000 also created the new Gas and Electricity Consumer Council. This replaced the Gas Consumers Council and the Electricity Consumers Committees.

The major provisions of the Competition Act 1998 came into effect on 1 March 2000. The Office of Fair Trading and sector regulators, including OFGEM, enforce the Chapter I and II prohibitions using their concurrent powers. Chapter I prohibits agreements, decisions by associations or concerted practices which prevent, restrict or distort competition and might affect trade within the UK; Chapter II prohibits an abuse of a dominant position in a UK market which might affect trade within the UK.