SGN Natural Gas - Domestic New Connection Procedures

New Domestic Connection Procedures

17 June 2016

Contents 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 3 2 Interpretation ............................................................................................................................ 3 3 Scope ........................................................................................................................................ 4 4 Sales and Planning Stage ............................................................................................................ 5 5 Supplier Information .................................................................................................................. 6 6 Modification .................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

7 Conflict ............................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

2

SGN Natural Gas – New Domestic Connection Procedures V1.0

1

2

[Public Draft]

Introduction 1.1

This document sets out the New Domestic Connection Procedures ("Procedures") referred to at Section L9A.1 of Code prepared by the Operator pursuant to condition 2.4 of the Operator's Conveyance Licence.

1.2

These Procedures were approved by the Authority on 17 June 2016.

1.3

These Procedures may be amended from time to time by the Authority or by the Operator with the prior written approval of the Authority (and where an amendment is made the Operator shall publish the amended Procedures).

1.4

The Operator and each User shall be responsible for their own costs incurred in respect of the implementation of these Procedures.

Interpretation 2.1

Definitions For the purposes of the Procedures: Commissioning User

means SSE Airtricity Gas Supply (NI) Limited (company registration number NI032810) or such other User designated as such from time to time by the Authority;

Completed

means, in relation to a New Domestic Connection, the completion by the Operator of the Meter Installation Works;

Day

means a calendar day;

Existing Registration Process means the process by which a User may apply to become the Registered User of a Supply Meter Point (including at a New Domestic Connection following registration in the name of the Commissioning User on first connection to the System) as set out in Sections L6 to L9 (inclusive) of the Code;

3

Gas Connection Agreement

" means the agreement entered into between the Operator and a consumer pursuant to which the Operator agrees to connect the consumer to the Operator's System and the consumer agrees to pay for (if appropriate) the connection to enable the offtake of Gas from the System;

Meter Installation Date

means, in respect of a New Domestic Connection, the date on which the Meter Installation Works are Completed;

Meter Installation Works

means such works as are required to install a Supply Meter Installation at a New Domestic Connection in accordance with Section M of Code;

New Domestic Connection

means the first connection of premises to the System of a New Domestic Consumer in respect of which the annual consumption

17 June 2016

SGN Natural Gas – New Domestic Connection Procedures V1.0

[Public Draft]

of gas at such premises is expected to fall within either the EUC1 or EUC2 category (and which is therefore not expected to exceed 73,200 kWh per annum in the case of EUC1 or 732,000 kWh per annum in the case of EUC2); New Domestic Consumer

means a consumer who intends to use gas for domestic purposes only (and not for any industrial or commercial purposes) at a New Domestic Connection;

Nominated Registered User

means the User notified to the Operator by a New Domestic Consumer and recorded in accordance with paragraph 4.3 as the User who the New Domestic Consumer may wish to take a supply of gas from (such User being referred to as the 'Preferred Gas Supplier' in the Gas Connection Agreement);

Sales and Planning Stage

means the first stage of the Procedures described in paragraph;

Supply Meter Point Agreement

means the agreement which a Registered User is obliged under the conditions of its gas supply licence to prepare, maintain, comply with and be a party to, such agreement having been approved by the Authority;

Supplier Information

means, in relation to a User, all such documents and other information prepared and published by the User in line with the requirements of Schedule 18a of the Supply Meter Point Agreement; and

Supply Point Administration means the second stage of the Procedures described in paragraph Process 6.

2.2

All other capitalised terms used in these Procedures shall have the meanings given to them in the Code

3 Scope 3.1

The Procedures shall comprise two stages: (a)

the Sales and Planning Stage (in accordance with paragraph 4); and

(b)

the Supply Point Administration Stage (in accordance with paragraph 6).

3.2

The Procedures shall not apply to the registration of a User as Registered User in respect of a Supply Meter Point existing as at 17 June 2016 (in respect of which Sections L6 to L9 of the Code shall apply).

3.3

In respect of the Supply Meter Point located at the New Domestic Connection, if there is any:

4

(a)

mistake, failure or delay in implementing the Procedures; or

(b)

dispute or difference of any kind arising in connection of the Procedures,

17 June 2016

SGN Natural Gas – New Domestic Connection Procedures V1.0

[Public Draft]

the Operator shall register the Commissioning User as the Registered User at the Supply Meter Point located at the New Domestic Connection.

3.4

The Operator and Users shall co-operate with each other in good faith and provide each other with such information and other assistance as may be reasonably required to facilitate implementation of these Procedures.

4 Sales and Planning Stage 4.1

Where a New Domestic Consumer submits a request to the Operator for a New Domestic Connection the Operator shall process the request as soon as reasonably practicable.

4.2

Until the Operator has entered into a Gas Connection Agreement with the New Domestic Consumer:

4.3

(a)

the Operator shall not proceed to connect the New Domestic Consumer to the System; and

(b)

the processing of the request for a New Domestic Connection shall not proceed to the Supply Point Administration Stage of these Procedures.

Following receipt of a request for a New Domestic Connection the Operator shall: (a)

notify the New Domestic Consumer of the following: i

that it may nominate a Nominated Registered User at the Sales and Planning Stage (and at any time prior to the Completion of the New Installation Works) to enable the New Domestic Connection to be facilitated by the Operator;

ii

the identity of the Commissioning User who will be responsible for the supply of gas to the New Domestic Consumer following completion of the Meter Installation Works;

iii that gas supplied by the Commissioning User will be supplied on the basis of the Commissioning User's standard terms and conditions and that the New Domestic Consumer will be liable to pay for all gas supplied by the Commissioning User at the New Domestic Connection; iv that it is the responsibility of the Nominated Registered User to notify the Operator of its intention to supply gas to the Supply Meter Point at the New Domestic Connection after the New Connection is Completed in accordance with the Existing Registration Process; v

if the Nominated Registered User does not notify the Operator of its intention to supply gas to the Supply Meter Point at the New Domestic Connection after the New Domestic Connection is Completed, the Commissioning User shall remain as the Registered User of the Supply Meter Point at the New Domestic Connection; and

vi that it must enter into a Gas Connection Agreement with the Operator in respect of the New Domestic Connection prior to the Operator undertaking works to connect the New Domestic Consumer's premises to the System;

5

17 June 2016

SGN Natural Gas – New Domestic Connection Procedures V1.0

4.4

[Public Draft]

(b)

provide the New Domestic Consumer with the Supplier Information;

(c)

record the identity of the Nominated Registered User for the purposes the Gas Connection Agreement; and

(d)

the Operator shall be entitled to ask the New Domestic Consumer if it has a preferred Nominated Registered User.

In discussing the benefits of conversion to natural gas by a New Domestic Consumer, the Operator shall do so in a manner which complies with all applicable laws, including consumer protection legislation.

5 Supplier Information

6

5.1

Nothing in these Procedures shall require the Operator to approve the form, content or accuracy of information contained in a User's Supplier Information.

5.2

Implementation of these Procedures by the Operator in respect of a User shall be conditional on the User providing the Operator with Supplier Information, and the Operator shall not be required to implement these Procedures in respect of a New Domestic Connection and User until (5) Business Days after the date on which the User provides the Supplier Information to the Operator.

5.3

A User shall ensure that it makes available to the Operator the most up to date Supplier Information and that such information is at all times accurate in all material respects and the User acknowledges the Operator shall have no responsibility for the form, content or accuracy of the information contained in the User's Supplier Information (and in respect of which the Operator shall have no liability)

Supply Point Administration Process 6.1

When the Operator enters into a Gas Connection Agreement with a New Domestic Consumer the Operator shall: (a)

allocate a Supply Meter Point Reference Number to the Supply Meter Point at the New Domestic Connection; and

(b)

update the Supply Point Register to include details of the new Supply Meter Point Reference Number, the Commissioning User and (if different and where identified by the New Domestic Consumer prior to Completion of the Meter Installation Works) the Nominated Registered User.

6.2

The New Domestic Connection shall only be Completed by the Operator where the information in 6.1 is available on the Supply Point Register

6.3

The Operator shall prepare a report (the New Supply Meter Point Report) on the following Business Day in respect of each Day specifying:

6

17 June 2016

SGN Natural Gas – New Domestic Connection Procedures V1.0

7

[Public Draft]

(a)

the Supply Meter Point Reference Numbers allocated by the Operator to each Supply Meter Point at a New Domestic Connection under paragraph 6.1 on such Day; and

(b)

the contact details for each New Domestic Consumer

6.4

The Operator shall submit the New Supply Meter Point Report to the Commissioning User (and where different the relevant Nominated Registered User) in respect of a New Domestic Connection within two (2) Business Days of the Day in respect of which such report is made.

6.5

Using reasonable endeavours, upon completion of the Meter Installation Works the Operator shall update the Supply Meter Point Register the following Business Day to: (a)

include details of the Supply Meter Installation located at the New Domestic Connection;

(b)

record the Supply Meter Point Registration Date as the Meter Installation Date for the new Supply Meter Installation.

6.6

The Operator shall prepare a report (the Completed Meter Installation Report) in respect of each Day specifying the New Domestic Connections recorded the previous Business Day in accordance with paragraph 6.5 and will include the details specified in paragraph 6.5

6.7

The Operator will use its reasonable endeavours to submit the Completed Meter Installation Report to the Commissioning User (and the relevant Nominated Registered User) in respect of a New Domestic Connection within two (2) Business Days of the Day in respect of which such report is made.

Supply Meter Point Confirmation 7.1

Following receipt by a User of the daily reports provided under paragraph 6.4 and 6.7, a User may advise the Operator of its intention to supply a New Domestic Consumer following completion of a New Domestic Connection by submitting a Supply Meter Point Confirmation in accordance with the Existing Registration Process.

7.2

Where the Nominated Registered User is the Commissioning User the Commissioning User shall be deemed to have submitted a Supply Meter Point Confirmation in accordance with the Existing Registration Process.

7.3

Where the Operator receives a Supply Meter Point Confirmation for a Supply Meter Point at a New Domestic Connection from more than one User Section L8.3 of the Code will apply and the Operator shall reject any Supply Meter Point Confirmation where there is an outstanding Supply Meter Point Confirmation.

7

17 June 2016