Centrica Plc and Centrica Storage Limited (CSL) welcomes the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) provisional decision that they intend to vary the Rough Undertakings (click here).
The proposed variations to the Undertakings provide Ofgem the ability to change the amount of capacity CSL is required to sell ahead of the Storage Year in response to a significant change to Rough’s physical capabilities.
CSL considers that these variations will allow it to more quickly and effectively ensure it can offer Rough’s physical capabilities to the market if there are changes in the asset’s capabilities.
Background
In 2003, following CSL’s acquisition of the Rough Gas Storage Facility from Dynegy Group, Centrica Plc and CSL gave undertakings (the Rough Undertakings) to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Fair Trading Act 1973.
In September 2015, Centrica and CSL requested a review of the Undertaking. This request was triggered by the reduction in Rough’s physical capabilities following the identification of an issue affecting the maximum operating pressure of the Rough wells (see REMIT 2015-33 revisions 1 – 5 for more details). As set out in revision 5, to determine whether the current pressure limit can be lifted, CSL is undertaking testing and verification works which will last until at least the end of the Summer 2016 injection season (between September and December 2016).
On 27 October 2015, the CMA launched its review of the Undertakings. The CMA intends to publish its final report in April 2016.
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Alan McLaughlin