The Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation (the Authority) has today announced the granting of two licences to Bord Gais Eireann for the conveyance and the supply of gas in areas along the route of the North West and South North pipelines.
Dermot MacCann (Deputy Chief Executive of Ofreg) said
“The licences represent Northern Ireland’s best opportunity for extending the gas industry beyond the existing Phoenix Natural Gas licensed area. BGE has made a commitment to develop the industry initially in at least ten towns. In addition to this the company has been given a 5 year window to agree future development plans that will include as many towns and areas as can be made viable.”
BGE intends to concentrate initially on making gas available to new build domestic properties, Northern Ireland Housing Executive domestic properties and Industrial and Commercial properties.
Existing domestic properties will have gas made available where it is viable to do so and BGE have already committed to making gas available to some 65,000 properties by 2018. This number could be increased and the level of coverage enhanced if at some point in the future any form of direct government assistance becomes available.”
To view the licences click on the links below:
BGE Gas Conveyance Licence
BGE Gas Supply Licence
Notes for Editors
1.) Gas is currently available only in the Greater Belfast and Larne areas. The development of the gas industry in these areas is currently being undertaken by Phoenix Natural Gas (PNG). For several years attempts were made by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment (DETI) and the Office for the Regulation of Electricity and Gas (Ofreg) to attract gas companies to extend the gas industry outside Greater Belfast. Progress was made in 2001 when BGE put forward a proposal to construct two major gas transmission pipelines, one from Dublin to Antrim (South North pipeline) and the other from near Carrickfergus to Londonderry (the North West pipeline).
2.) The North West pipeline was completed in 2004 and serves Coolkeeragh Power Station; the South North pipeline is due to be completed in 2006 and for the first time will link the N.I. and RoI. gas transmission systems. Applications for licences were invited by OFREG for the development of gas networks in Northern Ireland along the routes of the South North and North West transmission pipelines. Two applications were received, one from BGE and the other from Phoenix Natural Gas. BGE were subsequently selected as the preferred bidder for the new licences, on which complex negotiations have recently been completed.
3.) The new areas to be included in BGE’s licences are located in Northern Ireland along the route of the North West and South North pipelines. Within the overall area BGE has agreed targets for development in 10 initial towns.
The towns are Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Limavady and Londonderry (served by the North-West Pipeline), and Antrim, Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon (including Portadown and Lurgan) and Newry (served by the South/North pipeline). Gas will begin to arrive in the North West towns later this year and in the South North towns in 2006. Within 5 years BGE will bring forward further plans for the development of as many other new towns and areas covered by the proposed licence as are viable.
4.) For further information contact Terry McErlane at Weber Shandwick on 028 90761007 or 07770886911