38.— (1) On and after the commencement of this section, and at such intervals as the Commission may direct, the transmission system operator shall prepare a statement, (to be known and in this Act referred to as a “forecast statement”) based on the information available to it, in a form approved of by the Commission.

(2) A forecast statement shall include forecasts in respect of capacity, forecast flows and loading on each part of the transmission system of the transmission system operator and fault levels for each electricity transmission node together with:

(a) such further information as shall be reasonably necessary to enable any person seeking use of the transmission or distribution system to identify and evaluate the opportunities available when connecting to and making use of the transmission or distribution system;

(b) a statement identifying those parts of the transmission system of the transmission system operator most suited to new connections and to the transport of further quantities of electricity;

(c) the generating capacity which is likely to be connected to the transmission system;

(d) the demand for electricity in the period to which the statement relates; and

(e) a statement on the demand for electricity generated from renewable, sustainable or alternative sources generally and a statement on arrangements for the supply of electricity to customers who have opted to purchase such electricity.

(3) The transmission system operator may revise from time to time the information set out in and, with the approval of the Commission, alter the form of each forecast statement and shall, at least once in every year, revise such statements.

(4) The transmission system operator shall give a copy of a forecast statement and of each revision of the forecast statement under subsection (3) to the Commission.

(5) Subject to subsection (6), the transmission system operator shall give a copy of a forecast statement or, as the case may be, of the latest revision of the forecast statement, to any person who requests a copy of such statement or statements within fourteen days of the date that the request was received.

(6) The transmission system operator may, with the prior consent of the Commission, omit from a forecast statement given under subsection (4) any confidential details as to the capacity, loading or other information, where disclosure of that information would, in the opinion of the Commission, prejudice the commercial interests of the transmission system operator or any other person.

(7) The transmission system operator may make a charge for each forecast statement given under subsection (4) of an amount which shall not exceed the maximum amount specified by the Commission for the purpose of this subsection.

(8) In this section the period to which the forecast statement relates shall be seven calendar years on and after the date on which the statement is prepared by the transmission system operator.

(9) The transmission system operator shall consult with the Northern Ireland System Operator on each occasion when it prepares, alters or varies a forecast statement.

(10) The preparation of any plan in accordance with this section shall, so far as practicable, be co-ordinated with the preparation of any equivalent document prepared by the Northern Ireland System Operator and such plans shall, so far as possible, be prepared on a consistent basis.

(11) In this section—

“Northern Ireland System Operator” means the holder of a transmission licence granted under Article 10(1)(b) of the Electricity (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 and who is, from time to time, designated by the Authority as the transmission system operator for Northern Ireland.]