Annual Development Plan for the Distribution network - 2025 to 2027
Welcome
In February 2015 Evolve was awarded the licence to design, develop, and operate the new distribution network which will supply natural gas to homes and businesses to the west of Northern Ireland.
Our first Price Control (GD17) covered the period 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2022. On 1st January 2023, our second Price Control (GD23) began. This publication describes our development plan for the period 2025 to the end of 2027. At the end of 2027 we will have delivered almost 490km of new distribution gas infrastructure for Northern Ireland customers. In delivering this we will focus on providing value for money for customers through adhering to the regulated price control process in which the Utility Regulator (UR) has set our priorities and allowed revenue.
At Evolve, stakeholder involvement guides, supports and enables everything we do. It helps us ensure our plans meet customers’ needs and expectations and drives improvements through efficiency, innovation, excellence in customer service, while working in partnership with local communities and suppliers. We believe effective engagement comes from working directly and collaboratively with all our stakeholders.
We are committed to decarbonising our network by 2030. A milestone in this journey was the injection of Biomethane into our network during November 2023. This achievement is a testament to our dedication to sustainable energy solutions and the broader mission to decarbonise the west of Northern Ireland. As we embrace cleaner energy alternatives, we will always consider the wellbeing of our communities and the delicate balance that must be met between economic viability and environmental responsibility.
In addition to the information publications and community events which are on-going, we invite you to share your opinions on the project and, if interested, connecting to the network. Details of how to contact us are in the Working Together section at the back of this publication.
By working together, we can maximise the number of customers who can benefit from a decarbonised network as quickly as possible, invest in a sustainable future, support low-income and vulnerable customers in the communities we serve and contribute to greater regional development in Northern Ireland.
Evolve is delighted to have this opportunity to build and operate gas infrastructure for all our customers in Northern Ireland and we look forward to delivering value for money for all customers who can benefit from this new infrastructure.
David Butler Director, Evolve
1. Why Evolve?
Our vision is to keep customers safe and warm by leading the way in energy delivery. Our strategy underpinning the development and operation of our network is driven by the desire to play our part in making SGN the UK’s number one gas distribution company. To be number one we need to play our part. We are focused on being ‘the most effective and efficient’ GDN (Gas Distribution Network) in Northern Ireland, being the most ‘customer orientated’; and finally, ‘being the number one employer of great teams”.
These values guide how we operate as a business and in delivering the Gas to the West project, Evolve will adhere to the values as set out below which are based on SGN’s experience operating in the UK:
2. Gas to the West background
In February 2015 Evolve was awarded the licence to build and operate the natural gas distribution network and infrastructure as part of the overall Gas to the West project.
This publication summarises our development plan, agreed with the UR in September 20161 and updated in October 20222 for the GD23 Price Control, to deliver natural gas to seven Districts3 including Coalisland, Cookstown, Derrylin, Dungannon, Enniskillen, Magherafelt, Omagh and Strabane.
Our plan proposes to lay gas mains, in a timescale which will ensure almost every street within the scope of the project can be connected to natural gas by the end of the current price control GD23 (which covers the period 1st January 2023 to 31st December 2028).
1 GD17 Final Determination
2 GD23 Final Determination
3 “District” means the area covered by a District Council on the date of the grant of the Evolve conveyance licence. Our Licensed Area covers the District of Derry (specifically the Electoral Wards of Banagher and Claudy) but no targets are set in our licence for this District.
Figure 1 - HP and IP systems supplying Gas to the West