Singapore legislation
Section 6
Section 6
Functions and duties of Board
(1)
Subject to the provisions of this Act, it shall be the function and duty of the Board —
to provide, construct and maintain such catchment areas, reservoirs and other works as may be required or necessary for the collection, supply and use of water for public and private purposes;
to manage and work the water installations of the Board and such other installations as may be acquired by the Board under the provisions of this Act;
to secure and provide an adequate supply of water at reasonable prices;
to secure that all reasonable demands for the supply of electricity are satisfied;
to secure that any person by whom all or any of the functions of generating, transmitting or supplying electricity falls to be performed is able to generate, transmit or supply electricity whilst providing efficient service and maintaining independent financial viability;
to promote efficiency, reliability and economy on the part of public licensees in accordance with, as far as practicable, recognised international standards and public demand, and to promote the efficient use of electricity supplied to consumers;
to exercise licensing and regulatory functions in respect of the generation, production, transmission and supply of electricity and gas, including the establishment of standards of performance and codes of practice relating to any matter in connection therewith;
to protect the interests of consumers in respect of —
the prices charged and the other terms of supply of electricity and gas;
the quality of the electricity and gas supply services provided; and
the continuity of supply of electricity;
to protect the public from dangers arising from the generation, production, transmission or supply of electricity and gas;
to secure the establishment and maintenance of machinery for promoting the health and safety of persons employed in the generation, production, transmission or supply of electricity and gas;
to promote the development of electricity systems and services;
to create an economic regulatory framework in respect of the generation, transmission or supply of electricity which promotes and safeguards competition and fair and efficient market conduct or, in the absence of a competitive market, which prevents the misuse of monopoly or market power;
to promote research into, and the development and use of, new techniques relating to the generation, transmission and supply of electricity by or on behalf of public licensees; and
to advise the Government on all matters relating to the generation, production, transmission and supply of water, electricity and gas and on matters appertaining to the Board generally.
(2)
Nothing in this section shall be construed as imposing on the Board, directly or indirectly, any form of duty or liability enforceable by proceedings before any court.
(3)
In addition to the functions and duties imposed by this section, the Board may undertake such other functions as the Minister may assign to the Board and in so doing the Board shall be deemed to be fulfilling the purposes of this Act and the provisions of this Act shall apply to the Board in respect of such functions.
(4)
The Board may, notwithstanding the provisions of this Act, continue to generate, produce, transmit or supply electricity or gas until such time as the public licences come into effect.
(5)
Without prejudice to the provisions of Part V, the Board may generate, produce, transmit or supply electricity or gas notwithstanding that it has granted a public licence to any person in any of the following circumstances:
if the Board is of the opinion that the person has failed to discharge or has not discharged to the Board’s satisfaction the obligations imposed by the Board on the person in the public licence; or
to give effect to any direction of the Minister given under section 8.
(6)
Where the Board undertakes the generation, production, transmission or supply of electricity or gas pursuant to subsection (4) or (5), section 2 and the provisions of Parts IV and VII shall apply, with the necessary modifications, to the Board in respect of such generation, production, transmission or supply and the references to the public electricity licensee, public gas licensee, public electricity supplier or a public licensee in those provisions shall be read as references to the Board.