DTe Also Wishes to Regulate the Quality of Gas Networks

The Office for Energy Regulation (DTe) wishes to assess the regional managers of gas networks not only on the efficiency of their operations, but also on the quality of their networks up to and including the customer's gas meter. DTe makes this statement in recommendations sent to the Minister of Economic Affairs on Thursday, 17 July 2003. The regulator also proposes providing a statutory basis for quality regulation of the gas networks.

In the proposed method, DTe wishes to oblige gas network managers to provide evidence of the quality of their network management. This obligation focuses primarily on processes which affect the long-term reliability of the network, such as maintenance processes and investment decisions. Network managers can provide evidence of this quality, for instance, by means of a certificate.

In addition, a network company is obliged to record clearly a number of indicators that reflect the quality of the network and to report to DTe on these. Examples of these are the number of leaks after gas has been detected and the number of interruptions to the supply of gas. The indicators reflect the safety and security of transmission of a network.

For the purpose of drawing up its recommendations, DTe published a consultation document in April 2003, in which the parties were invited to express their opinion of the method proposed by DTe for regulating the quality of gas networks in the Netherlands. The recommendations are obtainable as of today from DTe's website.

By regulating the network tariffs of network managers, DTe aims to ensure that network companies, which by nature are monopolies in their areas, operate more efficiently. In order to be able to guarantee the quality of the networks in the future, DTe is of the opinion that, in addition to the regulation of tariffs, additional regulation of safety and security of transmission is also necessary.