Updated March 2001
The nationalised power stations were broken up into three parts - the nuclear ones were kept back, and the rest split between four companies PowerGen and National Power in England and Wales, and Scottish Power and Hydro-Electric in Scotland
National Power demerged its UK operations into Innogy (no kidding).
The more modern Nuclear plants were later privatised as Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear, now owned by British Energy.
The older Nuclear power stations were held under government control as BNFL, which has now also been privatised.
Ownership and management of the main power cables was given to the National Grid company. Regional Electricity Boards were privatised as separate distribution companies. The generator companies sell electricity into a "Pool", organised by National Grid, and the distribution companies buy electricity from the pool. Customers buy electricity from the distribution company.
At least one distribution company has aquired power stations of its own.
The best account of all this is provided by National Grid