The Gas (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

[F1 Closed distribution systems N.I.

7A.— (1) A conveyance exemption holder may apply to the Authority for any distribution system through which gas is conveyed under his exemption to be classified as a closed distribution system.

(2) Where the Authority has received an application under paragraph (1) in relation to any distribution system, it must classify that system as a closed distribution system if the Authority considers that all of the following criteria are met, that is to say—

(a) the distribution system is not used for the purpose of supplying gas to household customers, or is used to supply fewer than 50 household customers who—

(i) are employees of, or work for or otherwise render services to, the conveyance exemption holder or a person related to the conveyance exemption holder; and

(ii) take a supply of gas that is wholly or mainly from a gas production site embedded in the distribution system;

(b) the distribution system is wholly or mainly used for distributing gas within a geographically self contained industrial, commercial or shared services site and is not integrated with any [F2 pipe-line] system operated by the holder of a licence under Article 8(1)(a); and

(c) the distribution system is wholly or mainly used either—

(i) by system users whose businesses, for technical or safety related reasons, have operational or production premises that are integrated with those of other system users of that distribution system; or

(ii) for the purpose of supplying gas to premises owned or occupied by the conveyance exemption holder or by a person related to the conveyance exemption holder.

(3) An application under paragraph (1) must—

(a) identify the distribution system to which the application relates;

(b) include any evidence available to the applicant in support of the application; and

(c) provide any further information or documents that the Authority may request in respect of the application.

(4) The Authority must decide whether to classify a distribution system as a closed distribution system as soon as is reasonably practical after the Authority has received—

(a) the application under paragraph (1); and

(b) any further information or documents requested by it under paragraph (3)(c).

(5) The Authority must notify the person making the application under paragraph (1) of its decision as soon as is reasonably practicable after that decision has been made.]

F1 Arts. 7A-7D inserted (12.4.2013) by Gas and Electricity (Internal Markets) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013 (S.R. 2013/92), reg. 16

F2 Word in art. 7A(2) substituted (16.12.2020) by The Gas (Internal Markets) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (S.R. 2020/279), regs. 1, 5(a)