The Electricity (Northern Ireland) Order 1992

Provisions supplementary to Article 37N.I.

38.—[F1(1) The Department may give a direction requiring the holder of a transmission licence [F2or a distribution licence] to give to the Department, after consultation with specified persons, any information or advice which the Department may reasonably require for purposes connected with the exercise of its functions under Article 37.

(2) The Department may give a direction requiring any person who is authorised by a licence to [F3distribute or] participate in the transmission of electricity to carry on the activities which the licence authorises or regulates (or any of them), at any time when a direction under Article 37 (4) is in force, either in a specified manner or with a view to achieving specified objectives.

(3) In paragraphs (1) and (2) “specified” means specified by or under the Department’s direction; and a person subject to a direction under paragraph (2) shall give effect to it notwithstanding any other duty imposed on him by or under this Part.]

(4) The Department shall lay before the Assembly a copy of every direction given under Article 37 or this Article unless the Department is of the opinion that disclosure of the direction is against the interests of national security or the commercial interests of any person.

(5) A person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes a direction of the Department under Article 37 or this Article shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable—

(a)on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;

(b)on conviction on indictment, to a fine.

(6) No proceedings shall be instituted in respect of an offence under this Article except by or on behalf of the Department.

(7) Paragraphs 1 to 4, 7 and 8 of Schedule 2 to the Energy Act 1976F4 (administration of Act and other matters) shall have effect as if—

(a)Article 37 were contained in that Act;

(b)the powers of paragraph 1 were exercisable for any purpose connected with securing compliance with a direction under that Article;

(c)information obtained by virtue of that paragraph could lawfully be disclosed to any person by whom anything falls to be specified under such a direction; and

(d)the powers conferred by sub-paragraph (1)(c) of that paragraph included power to direct that information and forecasts be furnished to any such person.