The Utililty Regulator is publishing approval of amendments to the Transportation Agreement (TA) between Premier Transmission Limited (PTL) and Gas Networks Ireland (UK) Limited (GNI (UK)).
These amendments will improve and refine the arrangements, including the operating procedures, for ongoing direct access to GB gas markets.
The TA was originally entered into in 1996, for a period of 25 years, ending on 30 September 2021. PTL and GNI (UK) subsequently entered into a new Transportation Agreement effective from 1 October 2021, which allows for PTL’s capacity reservation to be extended for a fixed 15-year term to 30 September 2036 on fair commercial terms.
However, at the time of agreeing the latest TA, certain areas of the TA, including operating provisions, were yet to be agreed and it was decided that these areas would be subsequently finalised. This series of amendments to the TA include, for example, modifications to the profiling of gas, Virtual Reverse flow limits and operations, gas allocations and nominations, emergency procedures and treatment of shrinkage.
We have assessed the proposed modifications to the TA and consider them to be in the interest of consumers in Northern Ireland. On this basis, we have granted our approval under Condition 2.4C.2(c) of PTL’s licence for the conveyance of gas in Northern Ireland.