The Bridge Commitments

The Bridge Commitments are a series of commitments made by the majority of shippers aimed at addressing short term concerns about competition on the North Pipeline. They have been in place since August 2011.

Following the April 2011 Retail Competition workshop, key members of the gas industry put in place a package of measures to address the short-term issues large end users on the constrained North Pipeline were facing. The 'Bridge Commitments' comprise seven commitments. Notably each signatory supplier agreed that, where it supplies an end user, and that end user tenders its gas supply, it will make pipeline capacity available to competing suppliers.

Gas Industry Co assessed the Bridge Commitments and considered that they should:

• ensure existing large end users on the constrained North Pipeline have an effective choice of supplier in the short term;
• help to facilitate development of longer term access arrangements and investment; and
• materially change the market.
• As a result of these conclusions, Gas Industry Co determined that intervention by way of Rules was not justified at this time.

Gas Industry Co will continuously monitor the effectiveness of the Bridge Commitments and update industry if anything occurs that may change its assessment.

In the meantime Gas Industry Co continues to work with the industry on the Gas Transmission Investment Programme. For more information on this work, please refer to the 'Long-term' Section.

A detailed assessment of the Bridge Commitments in the context of short-term capacity work, issued in August 2011, can be viewed below.