Gas Services Meter Upgrade Programme

Complete network compliance surveys to gather vital information on the asset types and conditions of internal domestic and industrial/commercial meter installations.

Gas Networks Ireland (Gas Networks Ireland) is responsible for the construction, operation, maintenance and developing commercial arrangements for use of the natural gas network in the Republic of Ireland. The gas network consists of 2,000 km of high-pressure steel transmission pipelines and over 10,000km of distribution pipelines.

Gas Networks Ireland have identified a number of locations where surveys will be carried out to validate the level of compliance on the distribution network. These include low pressure and medium pressure domestic and industrial/commercial installations. This survey will gather vital information on the asset types and the asset conditions for each gas installation surveyed. The scope covers all internal domestic and industrial/commercial services nationally and will highlight locations where services contain non-conformances. Depending on the condition of the gas meter or the ancillary equipment serving the meter, follow-up programmes of works will be prepared to remediate these non-conformances.
 
These surveys are carried out at no cost to you and with the least amount of disruption possible. The survey takes approximately 60 minutes to complete and there will be no disruption to your gas supply. All staff will carry photo ID badges identifying them as working on behalf of Gas Networks Ireland. You will need to provide access to your property on the day of the survey.

The below details what will happen if your gas service is non-compliant and is to be ungraded as part of the Meter Upgrade Programme.

No cost to you

Gas Networks Ireland have agreed with the Commission for Regulation of Utilites to carry out the Gas Service Meter Upgrade Programme. Gas Networks Ireland are reinforcing the safety of gas services where gas meters are located internally within a building. This may involve the upgrade of the gas service at your premises, by replacing or relocating the existing service and/or meter box or associated ancillary gas equipment. It may also involve the relocating of the existing service installation to a suitable external location. The programme will be carried out in phases, by geographical area. This work is carried out at no cost to you and with the very least amount of disruption possible.

Should your gas service need upgrading

  1. We will contact you to make an appointment to upgrade your existing gas service.
  2. All staff will carry photo ID badges identifying them as working on behalf of Gas Networks Ireland.
  3. You will need to provide access to your property on the day of the appointment.
  4. Your gas supply will be temporarily interrupted for the duration of the replacement work.
  5. The duration of the work will vary from property to property, but this will be discussed and agreed with the customer prior to any works commencing.
  6. We will carry out a safety inspection (Annex E I.S.813, which is the Irish Standard Code of Practice for Gas installations). This is an extra service we are providing free of charge to our customers to ensure that the internal pipe work and natural gas appliances are operating in a safe manner.
  7. Your meter may need to be relocated if it is not possible to upgrade the supply in its original position. If the meter needs to be relocated, new pipework will need to be installed. We will make contact with you before this work is done and will discuss the options available to you. We will not move your meter without giving you prior notification.
  8. Every effort will be made to ensure that the interruption to your gas supply is kept to a minimum and you will be advised, in advance, when it will occur.
  9. If you need to rearrange your appointment please call us on 1800 427 737.

 

What is not covered under the gas services upgrade programme?

We will make sure that your gas appliances are operating safely, and provide you with advice and guidance on problems discovered. You are responsible for the internal appliances and pipe work. If a property currently has a gas supply, but it is not in use, it will not be renewed or reconnected to the gas main. If gas is required at a later date, there will be a charge for a new connection, which must be paid before the work commences.

There is no charge for the upgrade of your natural gas meter installation. Extra works that you can request are available but will be chargeable. All the details of these charges can be found on our meter services page.

Relocation

To carry out the relocation of your gas service, we may need to excavate within your property. Reinstatement of the ground is an essential part of the work we undertake when the job is completed. The first reinstatement will only be temporary. This allows time for the back-fill in the excavation to settle. When the back-fill has settled, permanent reinstatement can be completed. This will be done within 20 working days. We will ensure your surface replicates as close as possible to existing surfaces.

We will make every effort not to damage flower beds and grass areas on your property. In consultation with you we will choose the best route to avoid damaging plants, flowers and lawns. You may prefer to remove plants or flowers temporarily to avoid accidental damage. Grass areas will also be treated with due care. It may not be possible to avoid trampling on a lawn or verge, particularly if the weather is poor. If grass areas are damaged during works, we will repair it, including reseeding if necessary. Repairs to flower beds and grass areas may be delayed due to seasonal factors.

Frequently Asked Questions

This survey is being carried out to ensure that the Gas Meter loction, pipework and the meter box are in good condition and are installed in accordance with  current standards and legislation.

We currently intend to visit 15,000 addresses on the Gas Network which are indicated on our records as having an internal meter.

The Surveyors are primarily looking to assess the locations of existing meters, its condition and its pipework. There is a particular focus on meter locations in a void, the meter age, proximity to ESB board or if the environment is corrosive.

The survey should not take any longer than half an hour to complete.

Under normal circumstances there will be no interruption to the Gas Supply. The only instances where there will be an interruption to the supply is where the Surveyors identify a possible gas leak. If this occurs the Surveyors have been instructed to isolate the gas and we will endeavour to have a Gas Fitter on site within an hour to investigate the leak.

No. There will be no charge for carrying out this survey or any remedial work which is required to the meter, meter box or supply pipework. If however there is a leak identified which is part of the customers pipework the customer will be obliged to employ the services of a Registered Gas Installer to repair the pipework or applicance. A list of RGIs is available at rgi.ie; or by calling RGII at 1800 454 454; alternatively you can contact Gas Networks at 1800 427 747.

The surveyors will need access inside your house where the meter is located internally or where the surveyor needs to pass through the house to access a meter in a secure garden/yard area. If your meter is located outside the surveyor will not need access inside your house.

Yes, the Gas Networks call centre will contact the customer and arrange appointments together with liaison with Gas Networks Ireland’s own contractor on site prior to any further works commencing.

The survey is being carried out by Fingleton White & Co. on behalf of Gas Networks Ireland.

Yes, all personnel working on behalf of Gas Networks Ireland will carry identification.

All of the country is affected by the survey.

Should you have any queries or problems you can call the Gas Networks Ireland Contact Centre on 1800 464 464.  All queries or complaints will be responded to and dealt with as soon as possible.

If the surveyor calls to your premises when you are not there, they will leave a note to say they have called and return again later that day. The surveyor will visit again another day if they do not get access to your meter the first time around.