The Energy Efficiency Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014

PART 4 N.I. AMENDMENTS TO THE GAS ORDER

Gas Licensing and Energy Efficiency Obligations N.I.

10.  After Article 10A of the Gas Order insert the following Article—

“Licensing and Energy Efficiency

10AA.— (1) Without prejudice to the generality of Article 10(1), a licence shall include such conditions as appear to the grantor to be requisite or expedient to ensure that any activity authorised by it is carried out in compliance with the relevant requirements and prohibitions laid down by the Energy Efficiency Directive and referred to in the following paragraphs.

(2) Subject to paragraph (5) the conditions included in a licence in accordance with paragraph (1) shall in particular in the case of a licence under Article 8(1)(c) include such conditions as appear to the grantor to be requisite or expedient to require, where a customer of the licence holder takes a supply of gas through a smart meter, that the licence holder ensures that—

(a) the meter complies with the relevant requirements of Article 9(2)(a) and 10(2) and, where the customer so requests, Article 9(2)(c) of the Energy Efficiency Directive;

(b) the customer is provided with the information required by Article 9(2)(a) and 10(2) of the Energy Efficiency Directive;

(c) the information required by Article 10(2)(b) of the Energy Efficiency Directive is provided in the format so required;

(d) where the customer so requests, the customer or another person acting on the customer’s behalf is provided with the information required by Article 9(2)(d) of the Energy Efficiency Directive in the format so required;

(e) the meter and any information provided by it is secure as required by Article 9(2)(b) of the Energy Efficiency Directive; and

(f) the advice and information required by Article 9(2)(e) of the Energy Efficiency Directive is provided to the customer.

(3) The conditions included in a licence in accordance with paragraph (1) shall in particular in the case of a licence under Article 8(1)(c) also include such conditions as appear to the grantor to be requisite or expedient to require, where a customer of the licence holder does not take a supply of gas through a smart meter, that the licence holder ensures that any bill or statement of account provided to the customer complies with the requirements of Article 8(1) of and paragraph 1.1 of Annex VII to the Energy Efficiency Directive.

(4) The conditions included in a licence in accordance with paragraph (1) shall, in the case of a licence under Article 8(1)(c) also require that the licence holder ensures that—

(a) the information required by Article 10(3)(a) of the Energy Efficiency Directive is provided, where it is available and the customer to whom it relates so requests, to an energy service provider designated by the customer;

(b) any bill or statement of account sent to a customer—

(i) contains the information required by Article 10(3)(c) of and paragraph 1.2 and 1.3 of Annex VII to the Energy Efficiency Directive;

(ii) complies with the guidance issued and published by the Authority, in particular for the purposes referred to in Article 10(3)(d) of the Energy Efficiency Directive; and

(iii) if the customer so requests, is in an electronic format;

(c) where a customer so requests, the information required by Article 10(3)(b) of the Energy Efficiency Directive is provided to the customer;

(d) any customer taking a supply of gas from the licence holder is provided with the information required by paragraph 1.3 of Annex VII to the Energy Efficiency Directive;

(e) any information provided to a customer in accordance with any conditions included under this paragraph is provided in a timely manner and in an easily understandable format for the purposes referred to in Article 10(3)(e) of the Energy Efficiency Directive; and

(f) a charge is not made in respect of any bill or statement of account sent by a customer or in respect of any information provided to the customer (whether in the bill or statement of account or otherwise) contrary to Article 11(1) of the Energy Efficiency Directive.

(5) The duty on the Authority in paragraph (2) to include conditions in a licence shall only have effect where the Department—

(a) has determined that it is technically possible, financially reasonable and proportionate in relation to the potential energy savings to implement a programme for the widespread provision of smart meters; and

(b) notifies the Authority in writing to that effect.

(6) In this Article—

(a) “the Energy Efficiency Directive” means the European Parliament and Council Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency, amending Directive 2009/125/EC and 2010/125/EC and 2010/30/EU and repealing Directives 2004/8/EC and 2006/32/EC;

(b) “smart meter” means—

(i) a gas meter which can send and receive information using an electronic communications network; or

(ii) a gas meter and a device which is associated with or ancillary to that meter and which enables information to be sent and received by the meter using an electronic communication network;

(c) “electronic communication” has the same meaning as Section 4(1) of the Electronic Communications Act (Northern Ireland) 2001; and

(d) other expressions which are also used in the Energy Efficiency Directive shall have the same meaning as in that Directive.”.

Commencement Information

I1 Reg. 10 in operation at 25.7.2014, see reg. 1

Provision of individual meters N.I.

11.  Immediately before Article 22 of the Gas (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 there shall be inserted—

“Individual meters

21A.— (1) Where a customer of a gas supplier is to be charged for his supply wholly or partly by reference to the quantity of gas supplied, the supply shall be given through, and the quantity of gas shall be ascertained by, a meter which complies with Article 22.

(2) Any charge in respect of the provision of such a meter (whether that provision is by way of sale, hire or loan) shall be no higher than the competitive market rate.”.

Commencement Information

I2 Reg. 11 in operation at 25.7.2014, see reg. 1