The latest industry milestone in the deregulation of the business water market has been achieved, bringing England and Wales one step closer to competition in the retail market.
The shadow market phase is now underway – a crucial period where wholesalers and retailers will be able to test systems and processes before the market opens in April 2017. Market Operator Service Ltd (MOSL) is responsible for building the technological capability behind the market. They confirmed last week that water companies had uploaded their data into the Central Market Operating System (CMOS), marking the beginning of the shadow market phase.
MOSL’s role is to ‘deliver the core IT systems that will enable registration, customer switching and settlement between wholesalers and retailers’, meaning the milestone is a significant one.
What does it mean for businesses?
Whilst the shadow market place is exclusively for water companies, it indicates that the market remains on track for the April 2017 deadline.
With that in mind, businesses should be taking steps over the next six months to be ready for the market opening. There are five actions that businesses could take now to prepare for deregulation:
- Collate your water data
- Rectify any anomalies in your data
- Get to grips with your usage
- Identify cost savings opportunities
- Be clear with your priorities
You can read more about what each step entails here or to speak to a water expert with knowledge of your industry or sector, get in touch today.
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