What type of legal entity is Biecco Lawrie Limited if it manufactures medium-voltage switchgears as a commercial activity on behalf of the Government of India?
State-owned enterprise A state-owned enterprise (SOE) is a legal entity that undertakes commercial activities on behalf of the state, its owner. The legal status of SOEs varies from being a part of the government to being stock companies with the state as a regular stockholder. The defining characteristics of SOEs are that they have a distinct legal form and are established to operate in commercial affairs and commercial activities. While they may also have public policy objectives (e.g., a state railway company may aim to make transportation more accessible), SOEs should be differentiated from other forms of government agencies or state entities established to pursue purely nonfinancial objectives.
Electricity Act 1989 The Electricity Act 1989 provided for the privatisation of the electricity supply industry in Great Britain, replacing the Central Electricity Generating Board in England and Wales and in Scotland by the South of Scotland Electricity Board and the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board. The Act also established a licensing regime and a regulator for the industry called the Office of Electricity Regulation (OFFER), which has since become the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM).