The ESB's annual report is indeed a glossy affair, with plenty of nice arty pictures of the board and succinct potted biographies. However, The Margin could not help noticing the back inside cover which reads: seven energy sources, 26 generating stations, 9240 staff, 1,528,359 customers and one ESB. Interesting to see the ESB make such a positive statement about its monopoly position. Not for long though, if Viridian (the Northern Electricity company), Bord Gais and possibly gas exploration group Marathon get their way!

Meanwhile, ESB chief executive Ken O'Hara has expressed disappointment that the Buckley Report has not been implemented. This would up his salary considerably. "I am still being paid in line with the Gleeson guidelines and I am quite unhappy about that."

Readers may recall the clash between the ESB board and the Government when O'Hara was being appointed. The board sought extra money for him, but to no avail. However, perhaps when other players enter the electricity market O'Hara will be able to press his case for a pay rise - in line with his counterpart Dr Patrick Haran in Viridian, for example.