National Power
National Power was a major British electricity-generation company created during the privatisation and restructuring of the United Kingdom electricity industry.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
National Power was a United Kingdom energy company established in 1990 as part of the restructuring and privatisation of the electricity industry in England and Wales. Before privatisation, the Central Electricity Generating Board controlled both electricity generation and transmission. Its generation activities were separated among three principal successor businesses: National Power, PowerGen, and Nuclear Electric, while transmission was transferred to the National Grid Company. National Power emerged as the largest of the new generating companies, with approximately 52 percent of the generation market at the time of its formation. The company operated primarily as an electricity generator, positioning itself as one of the central commercial successors to the former state-controlled generating system. Its creation represented a major change in the organisation of the British electricity market, replacing an integrated public-sector structure with separate generation, transmission, distribution, and supply businesses. National Power therefore became an important participant in the newly competitive wholesale electricity sector. During the 1990s, National Power expanded beyond generation into electricity supply. In November 1998 it acquired the supply business of Midlands Electricity and used that business to establish the npower supply brand. This move reflected the increasing integration of generation and retail supply in the liberalising British electricity market, although the supply operation later became associated with the company’s successor structures rather than with National Power as an independent entity. Investor pressure subsequently led to a major corporate reorganisation. On 2 October 2000, National Power was demerged into two businesses. Innogy assumed responsibility for the United Kingdom operations, while International Power took over the company’s international activities. This separation ended National Power’s existence as a single operating company and created two successor businesses with different geographic and strategic focuses. Innogy later became known as npower and was acquired by RWE before becoming part of E.ON UK in 2019. International Power ultimately became part of Engie. National Power is therefore best understood as a historic British power-generation company rather than a current standalone consumer brand. Its principal legacy lies in the post-privatisation restructuring of UK electricity generation, the creation of the npower supply identity, and the corporate lineage that connected its former UK operations with RWE and E.ON UK and its international operations with International Power and Engie.
History
National Power was formed in 1990 during the privatisation of the electricity industry in England and Wales. Before that restructuring, the Central Electricity Generating Board was responsible for both generation and transmission. The privatisation programme separated those functions and divided generation among three successor companies: National Power, PowerGen, and Nuclear Electric. Transmission was assigned to the National Grid Company. Among the new generators, National Power was the largest. It held approximately 52 percent of the generating market at the time of its creation, giving it a substantial position in the newly competitive electricity sector. The company’s original role was principally upstream: it generated electricity for the wholesale market rather than operating solely as a consumer-facing supplier. Its formation marked the transition from a centrally managed public electricity system to a commercially structured market with distinct corporate participants. National Power subsequently diversified into electricity supply. In November 1998, it acquired the supply business of Midlands Electricity. The acquired operation was developed under the npower brand, giving National Power a presence closer to end customers as well as its established generation activities. This expansion reflected the broader market changes of the 1990s, when electricity companies increasingly sought positions across generation and supply. The company was reorganised on 2 October 2000 following pressure from investors. Its United Kingdom activities were separated into Innogy, while its international activities were transferred to International Power. The demerger ended National Power as a unified business and created two successor companies with distinct geographic remits. Innogy retained the UK-related operations and later became known as npower. It was owned by RWE until 2019, when it became part of E.ON UK. International Power continued the international business lineage and is now owned by Engie. National Power’s historical importance comes from its role in the post-privatisation structure of British electricity generation and from the corporate succession that followed its demerger. Although the National Power company no longer operates as an independent entity, its former businesses contributed to the development of the npower supply identity and to the ownership lineages now associated with E.ON UK and Engie.
- 2019
Former UK operations join E.ON UK
[1]The former Innogy and npower ownership lineage became part of E.ON UK after RWE transferred or sold the business as part of the sector’s corporate consolidation.
- 2000
Demerger into Innogy and International Power
[1]The company separated its United Kingdom operations into Innogy and its international operations into International Power.
- 1998
Expansion into electricity supply
[1]National Power acquired the supply business of Midlands Electricity and established the npower supply brand.
- 1990
Formation during UK electricity privatisation
[1]National Power was created from the generation activities of the Central Electricity Generating Board, alongside PowerGen and Nuclear Electric. The National Grid Company received the transmission activities.
Products and positioning
A large-scale British electricity generator created through the privatisation of the England and Wales electricity market, later extending into retail supply and international operations.
Power generation · 1990
Electricity generation
National Power’s core business was the generation of electricity for the wholesale market. It inherited a major share of the generating capacity associated with the former Central Electricity Generating Board and initially represented the largest of the principal post-privatisation generating companies in England and Wales.
Electricity supply · 1998
npower
The npower identity was established after National Power acquired the supply business of Midlands Electricity in November 1998. It represented the company’s move into retail electricity supply and later continued through the successor ownership associated with Innogy, RWE, and E.ON UK.
International power generation · 2000
International Power operations
National Power’s international activities were transferred to International Power in the 2000 demerger. These operations formed a separate successor business rather than remaining part of the National Power corporate structure.
Controversies
1974
Bataan Nuclear Power Plant contracting controversy
The Marcos administration selected Westinghouse for the Bataan nuclear project despite a competing proposal from General Electric and objections concerning the limited technical detail in the initial Westinghouse offer. The project's estimated cost later increased substantially, and the completed plant never entered commercial operation.
Brand decisions
2000
Demerger of UK and international activitiesStrategyBackground
Investor pressure led National Power to separate its domestic and international businesses.
Action taken
On 2 October 2000, the United Kingdom operations were placed in Innogy and the international operations in International Power.
Aftermath
National Power ceased to operate as a single company. Innogy later became known as npower, while International Power continued as a separate international power business and ultimately became part of Engie.
1998
Acquisition of Midlands Electricity supply businessM&ABackground
National Power sought to broaden its role from electricity generation into the supply market as the UK electricity industry became more competitive and commercially integrated.
Action taken
It purchased the supply business of Midlands Electricity and created the npower supply brand.
Aftermath
The transaction established a retail-supply identity that continued through National Power’s successor companies.
Recent events
- 2019
Former Innogy operations become part of E.ON UK[1]
M&A
The former UK operating lineage associated with Innogy and npower became part of E.ON UK after ownership by RWE.
- 2015
NPC continues missionary electrification and off-grid generation[2]
Other
NPC continued operating or managing generation capacity in small islands and other isolated locations while retaining hydroelectric and independent-power assets.
- 2003
National transmission grid transferred to TransCo[2]
Regulation
The operation, maintenance, and ownership of the Philippine power grid were transferred from NPC to the National Transmission Corporation under the power-sector reform law.
- 2001
Electric Power Industry Reform Act reorganizes the Philippine power sector[2]
Regulation
Republic Act No. 9136 established a competitive and separated electricity-sector structure and reduced NPC's former vertically integrated role.
- 2000
National Power is demerged into Innogy and International Power[1]
M&A
On 2 October 2000, investor pressure resulted in the separation of National Power’s United Kingdom operations into Innogy and its international operations into International Power.
- 1998
National Power enters electricity supply through Midlands Electricity purchase[1]
M&A
National Power purchased the supply business of Midlands Electricity and established the npower supply brand, broadening its activities beyond electricity generation.
- 1990
National Power is created through electricity-industry privatisation[1]
Other
The generation activities of the Central Electricity Generating Board were divided among National Power, PowerGen, and Nuclear Electric, while transmission was transferred to the National Grid Company. National Power became the largest of the new generating companies.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/national-power · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled