UR launches gas to the west licence application process

The Utility Regulator today announces the launch of the competitive licence application process to extend the gas network in Northern Ireland to the towns of Strabane, Omagh, Enniskillen, Derrylin, Dungannon, Coalisland, Cookstown and Magherafelt. To view a press release announcing the launch, please click here.

Two exclusive gas conveyance licences will be awarded, one for high pressure assets and another for low pressure assets.  In addition to the network design data we have already published in October 2013, we are publishing the applicant information pack and associated annexes.  The deadline for receipt of applications for these licences is Tuesday 6 May at 12.00 noon.  It is intended that the two licences will be granted in October 2014.

Gas Network Extensions in Northern Ireland: Gas to the West: Applicant Information Pack.

Accompanying annexes:

Annex 1 - 9

Annex 10

The development of the competitive licence application process follows extensive consultation with industry.  In April 2013 we published a consultation paper seeking the views of interested parties on how the competitive process to award the necessary licences should be conducted.  We received 8 responses.  Two of the responses were confidential and the other six are published below:

Today we also publish the conclusions paper explaining our decisions on the conduct of the process.

Gas network extensions in Northern Ireland: A conclusions paper

All published information detailing the project can be found in the gas to the west section of the UR website.

All applications and correspondence relating to the gas to the west project should be sent to: gastothewest@uregni.gov.uk

or

Gas to the west project team
Utility Regulator
Queens House
14 Queen Street
Belfast
BT1 6ED

Copies of all documents will be made available in large print, Braille, audio cassette and a variety of minority languages if required.