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Electricity regulator Stephen Littlechild has reported on progress of his plans to prepare the way for deregulation of the British electricity market in April 1998. A major thrust of his statement is his acceptance of the Power Pool's recommendations for outline trading arrangements that allow for both half-hourly metering and profiling of customers. This will give most customers the option of choosing their electricity suppliers without having to install costly metering. With the timetable for preparing for the 1998 deadline so tight, David Porter from the Association of Electricity Producers welcomes the regulator's initiative. "In the liberalised market place responsibility does not rest with any one person. It needs some direction from the regulator and we are pleased that he is giving that," he says.