Business Plan - Section 2 General description of the service

Mission Statement:

' Our mission is to provide cost effective, quality delivery of the market design approved by CER to all market participants.'

History:

Retail Market Design Service (RMDS) is the "ringfenced" function within ESB Networks responsible for all aspects of the retail electricity market design on behalf of the Commission for Energy Regulation. It was established on an interim basis in February 2005 and formally ratified in June 2005.

Strengths and core competencies:

• Facilitation skills.
• Clear communication of technical information.
• Appreciation of business impact of process quality.
• Analysis and documentation skills.
• Stakeholder management.
• Planning and Co-ordination.

Challenges:

Customer demand for improved quality. Major changes are being planned for the retail market in order to facilitate the All Island Electricity wholesale market and also trading by non participant generators. Beyond that timescale there will be a move towards harmonisation of the retail market design in Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland.