Statutory consultation on proposed licence modifications to facilitate the implementation of the Capacity Allocation Mechanisms Network Code in Great Britain

Consultation
  • Upcoming
  • Open
  • Closed (awaiting decision)
  • Closed (with decision)

One of the most important pieces of recent legislation on European gas and electricity markets is referred to as the Third Package. The Third Package of European energy reforms created a new legal framework to promote cross-border trade. Part of this, the Gas Regulation, sets out procedures for the establishment of a number of legally binding network codes. These network codes are designed to promote the creation of liquid markets, the efficient use of cross-border transmission capacity and the integration between Member States’ gas markets.
 
The Network Code on Capacity Allocation Mechanisms in Gas Transmission Systems (CAM) came into force on 3 November 2013 and applies from 1 November 2015. Any changes to ensure compliance of the Great Britain (GB) legal and regulatory framework with the provisions of the CAM network code must be made by 1 November 2015. We published an open letter on 31 October 2013 that described some of the issues around implementation that were specific to GB. In June 2014 we published our minded to position on the modifications that the Authority proposed to make to the Gas Transporter Licence that National Grid Gas (NGG) holds in respect of the NTS in order to facilitate the implementation of CAM.

We are now publishing a statutory consultation on changes to NGG's licence we consider are necessary to facilitate the implementation of certain aspects of CAM.

Our proposed changes are:

  • Amending table 3 of Special Condition 5F to split the existing Bacton Aggregated System Entry Point (ASEP) into two new ASEPs – Bacton UKCS and Bacton IP.
  • Inserting a new table 6B in Special Condition 5F which lists the NTS Entry Points effective for processes on Gas Days from 1 November 2015 (or such other date as the Authority may direct in writing). Table 6B is the same as the current table 6A except for the following:
    • The existing Bacton ASEP is split into two new ASEPs – Bacton UKCS and Bacton IP.
    • The baseline capacity (capacity is the right to flow gas on or off a network) for the Bacton IP ASEP is set at the sum of the maximum technical capacities of the two interconnectors (1297.8 GWh/day), with the remaining baseline capacity of the current Bacton ASEP assigned to the Bacton UKCS entry point (485.6 GWh/day).
    • A new column is inserted in order to indicate the type of Entry Point within NGG’s licence for all entry points.
  • Amending the definition of Off Peak Exit Capacity at IPs within Special Condition 1A.

Following consultation and consideration of responses, we intend to publish our final decision in February 2015.

Respond name

David McCrone

Respond telephone