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| Sector | Electricity and Gas in Northern Ireland |
| Gross Value Added (£bn) | Low carbon and renewable energy economy turnover in Northern Ireland was estimated at £1.5bn in 2024. (Source: Low carbon and renewable energy economy, UK – Office for National Statistics) |
| Number of workforce jobs | Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Economy (“LCREE”) employment in Northern Ireland was estimated at 7,100 full-time equivalents (“FTEs”) in 2024. (Source: Low carbon and renewable energy economy, UK – Office for National Statistics) |
| Business investment | |
| Key projects | Electricity: NIE Networks RP7 delivery; SONI SRP27; smart electricity meter rollout; Interconnection; offshore wind regulatory regime; increased socialisation of connection charging; review of firm access arrangements; regulatory framework for further interconnection for NI; digitalisation strategy and action plan; Flexibility Needs Assessment (FNA) and storage. Gas: GT27 transmission price control; GD29 distribution price control; SPC27 gas retail supply price controls; biomethane regulatory framework and network readiness. Single Electricity Market Key Projects Introduction of Day Ahead System Services Auction which will allow for improved competition and access to the system services market for new types of grid technologies. Procurement of Low Carbon Inertia Services. Strategic Markets Programme, including reintegration of SEM into EU Internal Energy Market covering transmission rights, ex-ante coupling and cross border balancing arrangements once the SEM is physically connected with continental Europe via the Celtic interconnector. Capacity Remuneration Mechanism (CRM) development including new state aid application, decarbonisation measures and ensuring security of supply in future years. |
| Key UKRN regulators | Utility Regulator (Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation). For the all-island Single Electricity Market, the UR regulates jointly with Ireland’s Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) through the SEM Committee. |
| Regulatory approach | Independent economic regulation within statutory duties and ministerial policy. The UR issues and maintains licences, monitors and enforces licence obligations, regulates monopoly network revenues through periodic price controls, scrutinises regulated retail tariffs and permitted margins, promotes competition where appropriate, sets service standards, monitors markets and protects current and future consumers, including vulnerable consumers. |
The Utility Regulator (UR) is Northern Ireland’s independent economic regulator for electricity and gas. It is a non-ministerial government department, governed by a Board and accountable to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Its statutory role is to regulate these essential industries in line with legislation and ministerial policy, while promoting and protecting consumers’ short- and long-term interests.
Electricity is supplied through a regulated network and traded through the all-island Single Electricity Market (SEM). The UR works with Ireland’s Commission for Regulation of Utilities through the SEM Committee to regulate that wholesale market.
In gas, the UR regulates transmission, distribution and retail supply activities across Northern Ireland’s licensed gas network areas.
Northern Ireland’s energy system is undergoing significant change. The UR’s Corporate Strategy 2024-2029, Protecting Consumers on the Way to Net Zero, focuses on a just transition, security of supply, high-performing utilities, and strong consumer service and protection.
The UR uses a combination of licensing, price controls, tariff scrutiny, market monitoring, enforcement, service standards and consumer-protection requirements.
For monopoly networks and system operators, periodic price controls determine efficient revenues and allowances, expected outputs, incentives and performance requirements. For price-regulated retail suppliers, the UR scrutinises efficient costs and determines permitted margins so that regulated tariffs reflect the cost of supply. The UR publishes consultations and draft and final decisions, taking account of evidence from regulated companies, consumers and other stakeholders.
The regulatory model is designed to balance affordability, quality of service, security and resilience, competition where appropriate, efficient investment and the transition to a lower-carbon energy system. The UR also monitors compliance with legislation, licences and codes and may take enforcement action where relevant requirements are breached.
Electricity
The UR’s principal electricity objective is to protect the interests of consumers supplied by authorised suppliers, wherever appropriate through effective competition in generation, transmission, distribution and supply. Its work includes licensing, regulating NIE Networks, SONI and SEMO through price controls, overseeing regulated electricity tariffs, monitoring retail and wholesale markets, setting consumer-protection and service requirements, and contributing to the joint regulation of the SEM.
Gas
The UR’s principal gas objective is to promote the development and maintenance of an efficient, economic and co-ordinated gas industry. In delivering this role, the UR’s work covers licences for transmission, distribution, supply and storage, alongside network and retail supply price controls, regulated tariff reviews, market oversight, standards and consumer protection, and regulatory arrangements that support an evolving gas system.
Investors and advisers can access published information including consultations, price-control determinations, licence decisions, tariff announcements, market information, annual reports and forward work programmes on our website.
For project-specific engagement, the relevant consultation page or publication identifies the response route.
General enquiries can be directed to info@uregni.gov.uk or +44 (0)28 9031 1575.
Key publications and links
• What the Utility Regulator does
• Licences
• Corporate Strategy 2024-2029