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Energy Act 2008 in Northern Ireland

2008 c. 32 · Enacted 26 November 2008 · Extends to United Kingdom

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 22 October 2026.

An Act to make provision relating to gas importation and storage; to make provision in relation to electricity generated from renewable sources; to make provision relating to electricity transmission; to make provision about payments to small-scale generators of low-carbon electricity; to make provision about the decommissioning of energy installations and wells; to make provision about the management and disposal of waste produced during the operation of nuclear installations; to make provision relating to petroleum licences; to make provision about third party access to oil and gas infrastructure and modifications of pipelines; to make provision about reports relating to energy matters; to make provision about the duties of the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority; to make provision about payments in respect of the renewable generation of heat; to make provision relating to gas meters and electricity meters and provision relating to electricity safety; to make provision about the security of equipment, software and information relating to nuclear matters; and for connected purposes.

[26th November 2008]

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Contents

  1. Part 1: Gas Importation and Storage
  2. Chapter 1: Gas Importation and Storage Zones
  3. 1Exploitation of areas outside the territorial sea for gas importation and storage
  4. Chapter 2: Importation and storage of combustible gas
  5. Activities requiring a licence
  6. 2Prohibition on unlicensed activities
  7. 3Exception for activities carried on partly on land etc
  8. 3AException for unloading to an installation in certain circumstances
  9. Licensing
  10. 4Licences
  11. 5Applications
  12. 6Terms and conditions
  13. 7Model clauses
  14. Enforcement
  15. 8Offence to carry on unlicensed activities
  16. 9Offences relating to licences
  17. 10OGA's power of direction
  18. 11Failure to comply with a direction under section 10
  19. 12Injunctions restraining breaches of section 2(1)
  20. 13Inspectors
  21. 14Criminal proceedings
  22. Supplementary
  23. 15Interaction with the petroleum licensing requirements
  24. Interpretation
  25. 16Chapter 2: interpretation
  26. Chapter 3: Storage of carbon dioxide
  27. Activities requiring a licence
  28. 17Prohibition on unlicensed activities
  29. Licensing
  30. 18Licences
  31. 19Requirements relating to grant of licences
  32. 20Terms and conditions
  33. 21Content of licences: regulations
  34. Enforcement
  35. 22Offence to carry on unlicensed activities
  36. 23Offences relating to licences
  37. 24Licensing authority's power of direction
  38. 25Failure to comply with a direction under section 24
  39. 26Injunctions restraining breaches of section 17(1)
  40. 27Inspectors
  41. 28Criminal proceedings
  42. Registration
  43. 29Requirement for public register
  44. Information about change in control of licence holder
  45. 29AOGA’s power to require information about change in control of licence holder
  46. Abandonment of offshore infrastructure
  47. 30Abandonment of installations
  48. 30AChange of use relief for certain installations
  49. 30BChange of use relief: carbon storage network pipelines
  50. 30CRelief under sections 30A and 30B: supplementary
  51. Termination of the licence
  52. 31Termination of licence: regulations
  53. Miscellaneous
  54. 32Safety zones
  55. 33Enhanced petroleum recovery: power to make orders
  56. 34Power of Secretary of State etc to transfer functions
  57. 34ACooperation with economic regulator
  58. 34BInformation sharing with economic regulator
  59. Interpretation
  60. 35Chapter 3: interpretation
  61. Chapter 4: General provisions about gas importation and storage
  62. 36Chapters 2 and 3: consequential amendments
  63. Part 2: Electricity from renewable sources
  64. The renewables obligation
  65. 37The renewables obligation
  66. 39Existing savings relating to section 32 of the Electricity Act 1989
  67. 40The Northern Ireland renewables obligation
  68. 42Power to amend licence conditions etc: procedure
  69. 43Feed-in tariffs: supplemental
  70. Offshore electricity transmission
  71. 44Offshore electricity transmission
  72. Part 3: Decommissioning of energy installations
  73. Chapter 1: Nuclear sites: decommissioning and clean-up
  74. Funded decommissioning programmes
  75. 45Duty to submit a funded decommissioning programme
  76. 46Approval of a programme
  77. 47Prohibition on use of site in absence of approved programme
  78. Modification of approved programmes
  79. 48Modification of approved programme
  80. 49Procedure for modifying approved programme
  81. 50Power to disapply section 49
  82. 51Time when modification takes effect
  83. Information
  84. 52Provision of information and documents
  85. 53Power to review operation of programme
  86. Regulations and guidance
  87. 54Nuclear decommissioning: regulations and guidance
  88. 55Funded decommissioning programmes: verification of financial matters
  89. Protection of decommissioning funds
  90. 56Protection of security under approved programme
  91. Enforcement
  92. 57Offence to fail to comply with approved programme
  93. 58Secretary of State's power of direction
  94. 59Offence of further disclosure of information
  95. 60Offence of supplying false information
  96. 61Restriction on prosecutions under this Chapter
  97. Miscellaneous
  98. 62Power to apply this Chapter to other nuclear installations
  99. 63Co-operation with other public bodies
  100. 64Continuity of obligations
  101. 65Amendment of Nuclear Installations Act 1965 Repealed
  102. 66Disposal of hazardous material
  103. General
  104. 67Meaning of “associated”
  105. 67AMeaning of “associated”: supplementary
  106. 68Interpretation
  107. Chapter 2: Offshore renewables installations
  108. 69Decommissioning notices relating to offshore renewable energy installations
  109. 70Security for decommissioning obligations
  110. 71Provision of information to Secretary of State
  111. Chapter 3: Oil and gas installations
  112. 72Persons who may be required to submit abandonment programmes
  113. 73Financial resources etc
  114. 74Protection of abandonment funds from creditors
  115. Chapter 4: Wells
  116. 75Information about decommissioning of wells
  117. Part 4: Provisions relating to oil and gas
  118. Petroleum licences
  119. 76Transfers without the consent of the Secretary of State
  120. 77Model clauses of petroleum licences
  121. Third party access
  122. 78Third party access to infrastructure
  123. 79Modification of pipelines
  124. Part 4A: Works detrimental to navigation
  125. Consent required for carrying out of certain operations
  126. 82ARestriction of works detrimental to navigation
  127. 82BApplications for consent under section 82A
  128. 82CDetermination of applications for consent under section 82A
  129. 82DAuthorised exploration or exploitation operations: consent conditions
  130. Directions by the Secretary of State
  131. 82ESecretary of State's power of direction
  132. Emergency safety requirements
  133. 82FDamage to, or changes in, the works: emergency safety notices
  134. 82GEmergency safety notices: supplementary provisions
  135. 82HFailure to comply with condition: immediate action notice
  136. Enforcement
  137. 82ICarrying out operation without consent etc
  138. 82JOffences relating to consents
  139. 82KFailure to comply with direction under section 82E
  140. 82LFailure to comply with notice under section 82F or 82H
  141. 82MInjunctions restraining breaches of section 82A(1)
  142. 82NInspectors
  143. 82OCriminal proceedings
  144. Supplementary provisions
  145. 82OAFees
  146. 82PPower to extend the application of this Part
  147. 82QInterpretation of this Part
  148. Part 5: Miscellaneous
  149. Duties of Gas and Electricity Markets Authority
  150. 83Duties of the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority
  151. 84Power to amend licence conditions etc: transmission systems
  152. 85Section 84: procedure
  153. 86Section 84: supplemental
  154. Energy reports
  155. 87Energy reports
  156. Smart meters : modification of licence conditions etc by Secretary of State
  157. 91Licensing of activities relating to smart meters
  158. 91AGrant of smart meter communication licences
  159. 91BRegulations under section 91A(1): further provision
  160. 91CPower of Gas and Electricity Markets Authority to amend licence conditions etc
  161. 91DPower under section 91C: procedure
  162. 92Gas meters
  163. 93Section 92: consequential amendments
  164. 94Power to amend licence conditions: gas
  165. 95Electricity meters
  166. 96Section 95: consequential amendments
  167. 97Power to amend licence conditions: electricity
  168. Connection offer expenses
  169. 98Costs connected with making an offer of connection
  170. 99Electricity safety Not yet in force
  171. Nuclear information
  172. 101Security of sensitive nuclear information Repealed
  173. 102Application of general duties to functions relating to licences
  174. Part 6: General
  175. 103Offences by bodies corporate etc
  176. 104Subordinate legislation
  177. 105Parliamentary control of subordinate legislation
  178. 106Interpretation
  179. 107Minor and consequential amendments
  180. 108Repeals
  181. 109Transitional provision etc
  182. 110Commencement
  183. 111Financial provisions
  184. 112Extent
  185. 113Short title
  186. Schedule 1: Amendments relating to Chapters 2 and 3 of Part 1
  187. Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 (c. 48)
  188. 1Paragraph 1
  189. 2Paragraph 2
  190. 3Paragraph 3
  191. Petroleum Act 1987 (c. 12)
  192. 4Paragraph 4
  193. Gas (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/275 (N.I.2))
  194. 5Paragraph 5 Repealed
  195. Petroleum Act 1998 (c. 17)
  196. 6Paragraph 6
  197. 7Paragraph 7
  198. 8Paragraph 8
  199. 9Paragraph 9
  200. 10Paragraph 10
  201. 11Paragraph 11
  202. 12Paragraph 12
  203. Energy Act 2004 (c. 20)
  204. 13Paragraph 13
  205. Schedule 2Property schemes
  206. Schedule 3: Petroleum licences: amendments to model clauses
  207. Part 1: Petroleum (Production) (Landward Areas) Regulations 1995
  208. 1Paragraph 1
  209. Part 2: Petroleum (Current Model Clauses) Order 1999
  210. 2Paragraph 2
  211. 3Paragraph 3
  212. 4Paragraph 4
  213. 5Paragraph 5
  214. 6Paragraph 6
  215. 7Paragraph 7
  216. 8Paragraph 8
  217. 9Paragraph 9
  218. 10Paragraph 10
  219. 11Paragraph 11
  220. 12Paragraph 12
  221. 13Paragraph 13
  222. 14Paragraph 14
  223. Part 3: Petroleum Licensing (Exploration and Production) (Seaward and Landward Areas) Regulations 2004
  224. 15Paragraph 15
  225. 16Paragraph 16
  226. 17Paragraph 17
  227. 18Paragraph 18
  228. 19Paragraph 19
  229. 20Paragraph 20
  230. Schedule 4: Smart meters: licensable activities
  231. Part 1: Gas
  232. 1Paragraph 1
  233. Part 2: Electricity
  234. 2Paragraph 2
  235. Schedule 5: Minor and consequential amendments
  236. Pipe-lines Act 1962 (c. 58)
  237. 1Paragraph 1
  238. Gas Act 1986 (c. 44)
  239. 2Paragraph 2
  240. Electricity Act 1989 (c. 29)
  241. 3Paragraph 3
  242. 4Paragraph 4
  243. 5Paragraph 5
  244. 6Paragraph 6
  245. Petroleum Act 1998 (c. 17)
  246. 7Paragraph 7
  247. 8Paragraph 8
  248. 9Paragraph 9
  249. 10Paragraph 10
  250. 11Paragraph 11
  251. Utilities Act 2000 (c. 27)
  252. 12Paragraph 12
  253. 13Paragraph 13
  254. 14Paragraph 14
  255. 15Paragraph 15
  256. Energy Act 2004 (c. 20)
  257. 16Paragraph 16
  258. 17Paragraph 17
  259. 18Paragraph 18
  260. 19Paragraph 19
  261. 20Paragraph 20
  262. 21Paragraph 21
  263. Schedule 6Repeals