Just wondering if anybody had any views on this share.The Chief Exec has just bought some shares in the Company today.I read a while a go NGT were looking to venture into the U.S. market.

Aevansdj.
There's a lot here & much more than I can spend time on, but I hope this will do for starters!

I think the writer of the article you read was sadly uninformed!
NGT has been involved for some years & has significant ownership of a range of US Electricity Transmission systems! It has a bigger US business than it does in the UK!

It might be quickest if I post some info from the company's web site: -

>>
National Grid Transco plc is an international energy delivery business, whose principal activities are in the regulated electricity and gas industries.

We are the largest investor-owned utility in the UK, where we own and operate the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales, and Britain's natural gas transportation system. We are one of the top ten electricity companies in the US, with the largest electricity transmission and distribution network in the New England/New York region, and also operate a gas distribution network in New York. Other electricity interests include interconnectors in the UK, US and Australia, and joint venture transmission networks in Argentina and Zambia.

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UK Miles of Transmission Overhead line - 4,500 Gas 4,100
US Miles of Transmission Overhead line - 14,000 Gas 8.000

The gas lines are not 100% comparable! (Red)

More US information

Electricity distribution

National Grid has five US electricity distribution companies that serve approximately 3.2 million customers in the states of New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire:

* Niagara Mohawk serves more than 1.5 million customers in 669 communities in upstate New York
* Massachusetts Electric serves approximately 1.2 million customers in 168 Massachusetts communities
* Narragansett Electric serves approximately 465,000 customers in 38 Rhode Island communities
* Granite State Electric serves more than 38,000 customers in 21 New Hampshire communities
* Nantucket Electric serves more than 10,000 customers on the island community of Nantucket, 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Natural gas distribution

Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation delivers natural gas to more than 540,000 customers in 197 communities in upstate New York.
Electricity transmission

National Grid Transmission USA represents the combined electricity transmission interests of the National Grid USA subsidiaries, including those listed below:

* Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation owns and operates approximately 9,000 miles of transmission lines and other transmission facilities in upstate New York
* New England Power Company owns and/or operates approximately 3,000 miles of transmission lines and other transmission facilities in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont
* National Grid Transmission Services Corporation provides consulting, engineering, and operations support services to transmission customers

Interconnectors

National Grid operates high-voltage direct current transmission lines and alternating current/direct current terminals for the Hydro-Quebec and New England transmission interconnection.

I may have maligned the writer of the article you read somewhat, as it may have focussed entirely on a new aspect of the US involvement! There has been pressure in the US to better co-ordinate the transmission of electricity. The proposals Was to get a number of electricity utilities together to do this & NGT was pushing for a leading role and got it. As you can see from the following news!

GridAmerica begins operations - 01 Oct 2003

GridAmerica, the first US for-profit multi-system Independent Transmission Company, began operations in the Midwest of the United States today.

GridAmerica, a subsidiary of National Grid Transco, operates within the Midwest Independent System Operator (Midwest ISO) and will initially manage the transmission assets of American Transmission Systems Incorporated (a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corporation) and Northern Indiana Public Service Company (a subsidiary of NiSource). In addition, Amerens transmission assets will be integrated into GridAmerica following approval from state regulators.

The GridAmerica transmission system will manage 28,000 megawatts of generation capacity, 27,000 megawatts of load, and 14,000 miles of transmission lines across 46,000 square miles of service territory in five states.

This is an important step forward for National Grid Transco and for bringing the benefits of an integrated transmission system to the US said Nick Winser, National Grid Transco's Group Director of Transmission. By pooling the transmission assets of power companies within a region and managing them as one operation, we are confident that we can create significant improvements in reliability and efficiency. We see this as the beginning of an important, long-term change in the structure and practice of US transmission and are delighted to be able to bring to bear our experience and expertise.

This is one of many issues, which should benefit NGT in the US for some time to come! The outcome of the investigation widespread power failure in the US last year, if it is not killed of like the 1986? Report, should throw some pretty large crumbs at the transmission system operators in the US and that includes NGT.

History

1986 British Gas privatised (integrated gas company for UK)
1990 Electricity industry privatised (National Grid owned by 12 Regional Electricity Companies)
1995 National Grid listed on the London Stock Exchange
1997 Centrica demerged from British Gas
1997 Energis demerged from National Grid
December 1998 / January 99 Acquisitions of NEES and EUA announced
March 2000 NEES and EUA acquisitions completed
September 2000 Acquisition of Niagara Mohawk announced
October 2000 Lattice demerged from BG
January 2002 Acquisition of Niagara Mohawk completed
April 2002 Merger of National Grid and Lattice announced
October 2002 Merger of National Grid and Lattice completed


Some links:-
http://www.ngtgroup.com/scripts/homepage.asp
http://www.nationalgridus.com/
http://production.investis.com/ngt/performance/

HTH

Fly by Night
Red

Thank you very much Red Underwing.

I appreciate your input and time in giving the information which has been very informative.Will do some more research before making decision on wether to invest in NGT.

What has prompted your interest in NGT? I currently have gone long on NGT on the belief that tha worst is over for this company and the chart is now showing signs of a recovery. What do you think the potential for this share is?

Look to be heading back to 550p...I wonder.

Small point NGT is no longer the epic it's NG.