Water industry regulator Ofwat has announced that the Competition and Markets Authority current inquiry into Bristol Water’s appeal against the PR14 Final Determination is to be extended by a further two months.
Ofwat originally referred Bristol Water’s request for the CMA to review its Final Determination on 4 March 2015. The terms of the Reference required the CMA to report on and determine the disputed Determination within a period of six months from that date i.e. by 4th September 2015.
A document signed by Cathryn Ross Chief Executive of Ofwat and published on the regulator’s website yesterday said that the CMA will now report on and determine the Determination within a period of eight months, stating:
“Ofwat, having received and considered representations from the CMA, is satisfied that there are special reasons why the report cannot be made within the period specified in the Reference and extends the period specified in the Reference by two months.”
Neither Ofwat nor the CMA has provided any clarification with regard to the nature of the special reasons – the CMA’s own website still lists 3rd September in its published administrative timetable as the deadline for the determination to be sent by the CMA to Ofwat.