Where, on an application made to it by any gas or electricity undertakers, it appears to the Ministry of Commerce that, for the purpose, in a case of emergency, of securing or restoring the supply or distribution of gas or electricity to the community or any part of the community, it is necessary for those undertakers to enter upon and carry out works on any land, the Ministry may authorise those undertakers to exercise the powers set out in section 3.

In this section “gas undertakers” meansF1 a licence holder within the meaning of Part II of the Gas (Northern Ireland) Order 1996F1 and “electricity undertakers” meansF2 a public electricity supplier (within the meaning of Part II of the Electricity (Northern Ireland) Order 1992;F2.