Did you know that National Grid are not the only company who can provide a quotation for a new gas supply or work on existing gas pipes/infrastructure? In most instances you have a choice of company that you can use for gas connection services.
National Grid believes that every customer should have a choice of connection service provider and that they should pay market prices for their required service (except where a gas transporter has a legal or licence obligation to fund part of the cost). We have been working with the industry to develop competition in the connections market since 1996 and have developed frameworks that allow other companies to offer customers/consumers with a choice of service provider for the construction and/or the physical connection of gas infrastructure, or the alteration or disconnection of an existing service pipe.
Competitive Service Providers
Organisations offering competitive service are called Utility Infrastructure Providers (UIPs) or Independent Gas Transporters (IGTs).
You can employ a UIP to carry out any of the competitive works on your behalf. The UIP will act on your behalf and carry out the works in accordance with National Grid requirements. Once connected, National Gird will maintain the pipework, up to the meter, for as long as a gas supply is required.
Note: It is not permitted for non-licensed persons to operate their own gas network. Therefore, they are required to offer the infrastructure for adoption to a Gas Transporter.
Other IGTs that operate on a national basis may also be able to offer a connection and adoption service.
National Grid has developed frameworks for the validation and approval of UIP competitive works. The frameworks assess applications against industry recognised technical and legislative fit for purpose criteria.
The adoption framework allows the customer/consumer to undertake the construction works themselves, provided they are able to demonstrate that they comply with the fit for purpose criteria, and then offer the asset for adoption by National Grid or another IGT. Anyone wishing to follow this route with National Grid would need to register with National Grid as a UIP.
Details of the adoption requirements and the UIP application form are available from the UIP overview page.
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