Water industry regulator Ofwat has issued two new retail supply water licences to Northumbrian Water Group Business Ltd And Peel Water Networks.
The licences came into force on 15th April. They will continue in force until terminated by not less than 25 years' notice served by the Secretary of State on the Licensee, although provisions are in place which would enable the licence to be varied or withdrawn under certain circumstances within the 25 year period.
The new licences are the latest in a series of new entrants to the market, including the water companies themselves, in the run-up to the opening of a compatitive market for non-household customers in 2017.
In March Wessex Water applied for a retail supply licence for its separate business arm water2business Limited and in February Ofwat granted South West Water a retail licence for its Source for Business subsidiary.