The Gas (Calculation of Thermal Energy) (Amendment) Regulations 2015

Statutory Instruments

2015 No. 953

Gas

The Gas (Calculation of Thermal Energy) (Amendment) Regulations 2015

Made

23rd March 2015

Coming into force

1st October 2015

The Gas and Electricity Markets Authority makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 12(1), (3), (4) and (5)(1) of the Gas Act 1986.

The Secretary of State has consented to the making of these Regulations in accordance with section 12(1) of that Act.

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Gas (Calculation of Thermal Energy) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 and come into force on 1st October 2015.

Amendment of the Gas (Calculation of Thermal Energy) Regulations 1996

2.—(1) The Gas (Calculation of Thermal Energy) Regulations 1996(2) are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 2(1), in the definition of “gas day”, for the words “6am”, substitute “5am”.

The seal of the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority, authenticated by me.

David Gray

Chairman

Gas and Electricity Markets Authority

18th December 2014

I consent to the making of these Regulations.

Matthew Hancock

Minister of State for Energy

Department of Energy and Climate Change

23rd March 2015

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Gas (Calculation of Thermal Energy) Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/439) to change a definition.

Regulation (EU) No 984/2013 of the European Commission of 14 October 2013 (OJ No L 273, 15.10.2013, p5) establishing a Network Code on Capacity Allocation Mechanisms in Gas Transmission Systems and supplementing Regulation (EC) No 715/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (“CAM”), imposes obligations on member States for the purposes of establishing harmonised capacity allocation mechanisms in gas transmission systems.

These include a harmonised start and end time to the daily period over which gas transmission system operators work. This period is defined as the “gas day” in Article 3 of CAM as commencing and ending at 05:00 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) during winter and 04:00 UTC during daylight saving. As Great Britain applies daylight saving, in effect this means the gas day must start and end at 05:00 local time throughout the year. At present, the gas day in Great Britain starts and ends at 06:00 local time. These Regulations amend regulation 2 of the Gas (Calculation of Thermal Energy) Regulations 1996 so that the definition of the gas day in those Regulations aligns with that in CAM.

The Authority has consulted with appropriate persons in relation to this proposed change. A copy of the consultation is available on the website of the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) website (http://www.ofgem.gov.uk). A copy can also be requested from Ofgem at 9 Millbank, London, SW1P 3GE.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.

(1)

1986 c.44; section 12(1) and (4) was amended by section 3(2) of, and Part 1, paragraphs 1 and 2(1) of Schedule 6 to, the Utilities Act 2000 (c.27).

(2)

S.I. 1996/439, regulation 2(1) was amended by regulation 3(b) of the Gas (Calculation of Thermal Energy) (Amendment) Regulations 1997 (S.I. 1997/937). There are other amendments not relevant to these Regulations.