How we operate
![gas plant](/sites/default/files/2024-07/Ayl_B_Side%201.jpg)
About us
Our role and responsibilities
National Gas Transmission is the owner and operator of the gas National Transmission System (NTS) in Great Britain. Our licence is established under the Gas Act 1986. This requires us to develop, maintain and operate economic and efficient networks and to facilitate competition in the supply of gas in Great Britain.
Our primary responsibility is to transport gas safely, efficiently and reliably across the NTS, by managing the day-to-day operation of the network. This includes maintaining system pressures within safe operating limits, ensuring gas quality standards are met and acting as the residual balancer for supply and demand if there is an imbalance in the market.
As the System Operator, we are responsible for identifying the long-term needs of the network and our customers. As Transmission Owner, we make sure our assets are fit for purpose and safe to operate.
![National Gas Overview - gas energy landscape](/sites/default/files/2024-07/National%20Gas%20Overview%20-%20gas%20energy%20landscape%20Updated_page-0001%20%281%29.jpg)
Our operational areas
Our teams reflect our duties as operator, manager, owner and steward of the National Transmission System.
Gas System Operator
As Gas System Operator, we are responsible for the real-time operation and control of the gas National Transmission System (NTS) in Great Britain, and for facilitating the efficient operation of the GB gas market. We operate the NTS in line with our Primary Gas Transporter Safety Case, ensuring that pressure within the NTS is maintained within safe limits and that the quality of the gas we transport complies with the Gas Safety Management Regulations (GSMR).
The System Operations team supports customers by providing the required transmission capacity and flexibility when it is safe to do so. The team also provides the critical data and information customers need to make effective and efficient decisions for their businesses.
The team plays a key role in ensuring that we can deliver value from our gas transmission incentive schemes. These are designed to ensure we make the right risk/reward-based decisions on behalf of customers, minimise our environmental impact, and optimise the use of the National Transmission System.
Operations
Our Operations team acts as the steward of the National Transmission System (NTS). The team looks after the physical assets across Great Britain’s transmission network. These include around 5,000 miles of pipeline, 21 compressor stations and more than 500 above-ground installations in England, Scotland and Wales. It doesn’t cover local gas supplies.
Overall, Operations ensures the safe, reliable and affordable transportation of energy from gas producers to gas transmission customers. The focus every day is on keeping the gas flowing and the lights on, playing a key part in sustaining future prosperity across Britain.
Supporting the work of our Operations team, National Gas Services provides emergency and planned pipeline repair, replacement, maintenance and intervention services.
Commercial
The Commercial team fulfils our role as the owner of gas transmission assets. Within the Commercial team, we have brought together our business planning work and our customer and stakeholder team, including gas system operations stakeholders. By collaborating with Ofgem, our customers and stakeholders, we work to understand current and future needs, and deliver an excellent service.
Asset
Our Asset team carries out the role of asset manager in our organisation, shaping the strategy and investment projects needed to maintain a healthy gas transmission network. The team also delivers a continuous programme of innovation, looking at how we can improve day-to-day technology as well as delivering more ambitious, transformational engineering projects. For the longer term, these teams are supporting the innovation required to deliver a decarbonised energy network for the future.