The Gas (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

[F1 Licensing and energy efficiency N.I.

10AA.— (1) Subject to paragraph (5), where a customer of the holder of a licence granted under Article 8(1)(c) takes a supply of gas through a smart meter, the conditions included in that licence must require the holder of the licence to ensure that—

(a) the meter complies with standards corresponding to those set out in Article 9(2)(a) and 10(2) of the Energy Efficiency Directive and where the customer so requests, Article 9(2)(c) of that Directive;

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

(c) the customer is provided with the information specified in Article 10(2)(b) of the Energy Efficiency Directive in the manner mentioned in that provision;

(d) where the customer so requests, the customer or another person acting on the customer's behalf is provided with the information specified in Article 9(2)(d) of the Energy Efficiency Directive in the manner mentioned in that provision;

(e) the meter is physically secure and any information provided by it is held in a manner that complies with the requirements of any relevant legislation relating to data protection; and

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

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b) and (c), the reference to Article 10(2) of the Energy Efficiency Directive is to be read as a reference to that Article with the modifications that—

(a) the words “installed in accordance with Directives 2009/72/EC and 2009/73/EC” are to be omitted; and

(b) the reference to “Member States” is to be read as a reference to “the Authority”.

(3) Where a customer of the holder of a licence under Article 8(1)(c) does not take a supply of gas through a smart meter, the conditions included in that licence must require the holder of the licence to ensure that any bill or statement of account provided to the customer is accurate and based on actual consumption and that the information specified in paragraph 1.1 of Annex VII to the Energy Efficiency Directive is provided to the customer in the manner specified in that provision.

(4) The conditions included in a licence under Article 8(1)(c) must require the holder of the licence to ensure that—

(a) where a customer so requests, the information specified in Article 10(3)(a) of the Energy Efficiency Directive is provided to an energy service provider designated by the customer;

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

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

(ii) complies with any guidance issued and published by the Authority; and

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

(c) where a customer so requests, the information specified in 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 specified in paragraph 1.3 of Annex VII to the Energy Efficiency Directive in contract documentation;

(e) any information provided to a customer in accordance with conditions included under this paragraph is provided in a timely manner and in an easily understandable format enabling customers to compare deals on a like-for-like basis;

(f) a charge is not made in respect of any bill or statement of account sent to a customer or in respect of any information provided to the customer (whether in the bill or statement of account or otherwise).

(5) The duty on the Authority in paragraph (1) to include conditions in a licence only has 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 Directives 2009/125/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 communications network” has the same meaning as in section 32 of the Communications Act 2003; and

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

F1 Art. 10AA substituted (31.12.2020) by The Electricity and Gas etc. (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/530), regs. 1(1), 119; 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)