Northern Gas Networks

What Northern Gas Networks does

Northern Gas Networks is a regulated UK gas distribution network operator, headquartered at Thorpe Business Park in Leeds and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed CK Infrastructure Holdings (CKI). The company transports natural gas through an underground pipe network spanning over 37,000km to deliver gas to approximately 2.9 million homes and businesses across Yorkshire, the North East, and northern Cumbria. Its service portfolio includes new connections, meter alterations, mains diversions, disconnections, meter box services, third-party Independent Gas Transporter arrangements, biomethane and clean gas producer connections, and a 24/7 gas emergency response service targeting one-hour attendance for uncontrolled escapes. Revenue is generated through Ofgem-regulated network charges set under the RIIO price control framework, supplemented by unit-priced connection and alteration fees (for example, £1,135 for a one-metre domestic alteration with NGN excavation).

Northern Gas Networks is actively modernising its asset base, having replaced over 3,800km of legacy metal mains with modern plastic pipework, while pursuing hydrogen and low-carbon energy transition initiatives. These include the East Coast Hydrogen partnership with Cadent Gas and National Gas Transmission (awarded £96m Ofgem FEED funding in June 2025), the Knapton H2 Storage Consortium with Centrica investigating underground hydrogen storage in North Yorkshire, and Project VOLT (with Newcastle University, EDF, LCP Delta, and Wales & West Utilities) developing hybrid microgrids for critical infrastructure sites. Operating under a regulated monopoly model with an exclusive regional licence, the company commenced its RIIO-3 regulatory period (2026-2031) and benefits from the UK government's £28bn energy grid investment programme, including £17.8bn directed at gas network maintenance and dedicated biomethane funding.

Name

Northern Gas Networks

Legal name

Northern Gas Networks

Website

https://northerngasnetworks.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Northern Gas Networks is a regulated UK gas distribution network operator, transporting gas through 37,000km of pipes to 2.9 million homes and businesses across the North of England. The CKI subsidiary is pursuing hydrogen transition via the East Coast Hydrogen partnership and Project VOLT microgrid initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gas Distribution Network Services

NAICS

Natural Gas Distribution (22121), Natural Gas Distribution (2212), Natural Gas Distribution (221210)

SIC

Natural Gas Distribution (4924), Natural Gas Transmisison & Distribution (4923)

akta.pro primary industry

Gas Mains (Distribution Pipelines) (EUAJABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Network Construction, Replacement & Uprates (Capex Programs) (EUAJABAL), Service Lines, Connections & Customer Hookups (New Taps) (TLAGADAF), Natural Gas Compressor Stations & Metering/Regulation Stations (TLAGAKAD)

Keywords

• Gas distribution services
• Utility network operations
• Gas pipeline infrastructure
• Hydrogen energy transition
• Regulated gas utilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Sunderland

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Regulated Network Revenue: As a regulated gas distribution network operator, Northern Gas Networks generates revenue through regulated network charges. Revenue is determined by Ofgem's price control framework, which sets allowed revenue based on capital and operating expenditure requirements for maintaining and operating the gas distribution network.
2. Connection and Alteration Charges: One-time charges for new gas connections, meter alterations, disconnections, and diversions. Pricing varies based on property type, complexity of works, and pipework requirements. Examples include £1,135 for NGN digging on private land (1m alteration) and £95 per additional 1m.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Northern Gas Networks operates the gas distribution network transporting natural gas through 37,000km of underground pipes to 2.9 million homes and businesses across the North of England, including Yorkshire, the North East, and northern Cumbria. The company provides connection services (new connections, alterations, diversions, disconnections), 24/7 gas emergency response, and is investing in hydrogen pipeline and biomethane infrastructure for industrial decarbonisation. Operations are conducted as a regulated utility under Ofgem's price control framework.

Product overview

Northern Gas Networks operates as a gas distribution network operator providing a unified platform of infrastructure services. The core offering is the gas distribution network delivering gas to 2.9 million homes and businesses across the North of England. The service portfolio encompasses connection services (new connections, alterations, diversions, disconnections), safety services (emergency response, carbon monoxide safety, priority services for vulnerable customers), and strategic initiatives (East Coast Hydrogen pipeline development, underground hydrogen storage studies, biomethane connection support). The company also provides operational support services including meter box services, transport fuel solutions, and an open data portal for stakeholder access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• East Coast Hydrogen: Joint initiative with Cadent Gas and National Gas Transmission to develop hydrogen pipeline infrastructure connecting production and storage with industrial clusters across Teesside, Humber, South Yorkshire, and East Midlands.
• Project VOLT

Products and services

• Gas Distribution Network Core network infrastructure service delivering natural gas from the national transmission system through 37,000km of underground pipes to 2.9 million homes and businesses across the North of England. Includes ongoing pipe replacement and modernisation.
• New Connections Service for connecting properties to the gas network, including providing Meter Point Reference Numbers (MPRNs) and coordinating with energy suppliers for meter installation. Available to residential and commercial property owners.
• Alterations Service for moving gas meters or service pipes, including full reconnection, partial reconnection, and no reconnection options depending on customer requirements. Pricing varies based on whether NGN or customer undertakes the excavation work.
• Diversions Service for diverting gas mains when required due to construction or development projects. Available to developers, contractors, and property owners.
• Disconnections Service for disconnecting gas supplies from the network when properties no longer require gas service.
• Meter Box Services Services related to gas meter boxes including surface mounted, semi-concealed, built-in, internal meter, and meter kiosk options for different property types and gas loads.
• Third Party Customers (IGT/UIP) Services for Independent Gas Transporters (IGT) and Utility Infrastructure Providers (UIP) operating within the NGN network area.
• Gas Producers Connection Services supporting clean, green gas producers looking to connect biomethane or other sustainable gases to the network.
• Gas Emergency Service Round-the-clock emergency response service for gas emergencies, responding to uncontrolled gas escapes within one hour and controlled escapes within two hours.
• Priority Services Register Free support register for customers who may need extra help if they lose their gas supply, including vulnerable and priority customers.
• East Coast Hydrogen Strategic collaboration with Cadent Gas and National Gas Transmission to develop hydrogen pipeline infrastructure connecting hydrogen production and storage with industrial users across Teesside, the Humber, South Yorkshire, and East Midlands regions.
• Working Near Our Pipes (Dial Before You Dig) Dial Before You Dig service to help contractors and property owners identify gas pipe locations before undertaking excavation work.
• Transport Fuel Services Services supporting the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) as transport fuel alternatives for commercial fleet operators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivering gas to 2.9 million homes and businesses across the North of England
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LCP DeltacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Project VOLT lead partner - LCP Delta is leading the initiative on behalf of Northern Powergrid. The project received £500,000 additional funding from Ofgem's Strategic Innovation Fund to enter proof-of-concept phase testing hybrid microgrids for critical infrastructure resilience.
• Wales & West UtilitiesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Project VOLT partner - collaborating on hybrid microgrid development and energy resilience solutions for critical infrastructure across Great Britain.
• CentricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2025Underground hydrogen storage study partnership - NGN and Centrica leading a study in North Yorkshire investigating geological options for hydrogen storage in the Vale of Pickering and surrounding regions. Funded through Ofgem's Strategic Innovation Fund Discovery programme.
• Cadent GascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2025East Coast Hydrogen partnership - a collaboration between Cadent Gas, National Gas Transmission, and Northern Gas Networks awarded £96 million in Ofgem funding. The initiative supports Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) for three hydrogen pipeline projects to develop a hydrogen pipeline network supplying low-carbon hydrogen to industrial clusters across Teesside, the Humber, South Yorkshire, and the East Midlands.
• National Gas TransmissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2025East Coast Hydrogen partnership - collaboration with Cadent Gas and Northern Gas Networks awarded £96 million in Ofgem funding. Supports FEED studies for hydrogen pipeline projects to connect hydrogen production with industrial consumers across multiple regions.
• SLR ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 20 June 2025SLR provides ongoing support to Cadent through the Environmental Impact Assessment and Development Consent process for the East Coast Hydrogen partnership projects.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cadent Gas: Cadent Gas is the UK's largest gas distribution network operator, serving 11 million customers across the North West, West Midlands, East Midlands, South Yorkshire, East of England, and North London. It is a direct regulatory peer of Northern Gas Networks, both operating under Ofgem's RIIO framework, and is a co-partner with NGN in the East Coast Hydrogen partnership.
• SGN (Southern Gas Networks): SGN is one of the UK's four licensed Gas Distribution Network operators, serving around 5.9 million customers across Scotland, the South East of England, and Southern England. It is a directly comparable regulated GDN peer under the same Ofgem framework as NGN, with similar business model, capex programmes, and regulatory exposure.
• Wales & West Utilities: Wales & West Utilities operates the gas distribution network serving 2.5 million customers across Wales and the South West of England, making it a close direct peer to NGN in scale, regulatory framework, and operating model. WWU is also a confirmed partner with NGN on Project VOLT hybrid microgrid development.
• Italgas: Italgas is Italy's largest natural gas distribution operator, serving around 7.7 million customers across more than 1,800 municipalities. It is a directly comparable regulated gas distribution peer to NGN in terms of business model (regulated local distribution monopoly), regulatory framework, customer-base scale per km of network, and hydrogen-readiness strategy.

Broad incumbents

• National Gas Transmission: National Gas Transmission owns and operates the high-pressure National Transmission System in Great Britain, the upstream 'highway' feeding gas into all four GDNs including Northern Gas Networks. It is a co-partner with NGN in the East Coast Hydrogen partnership and represents the immediate upstream infrastructure layer rather than a like-for-like distribution peer.
• Snam: Snam is Italy's leading natural gas infrastructure operator, owning the country's gas transmission network, storage, and regasification infrastructure. While its primary focus is transmission rather than local distribution, it is a comparable regulated European gas infrastructure peer with overlapping hydrogen transition strategy and similar exposure to long-term decarbonisation risk.
• Enbridge: Enbridge is one of North America's largest energy infrastructure companies, primarily operating crude oil, liquids, and natural gas pipelines. While predominantly transmission and upstream midstream, it shares the regulated/contracted infrastructure business model and similar long-term exposure to North American energy transition policy.
• National Grid: National Grid owns the electricity transmission system in England and Wales and previously owned the four UK GDNs (now divested). It is a broad incumbent UK energy infrastructure peer with overlapping regulatory exposure to Ofgem, hydrogen transition strategy, and capital-intensive long-duration infrastructure investment.

Others

• CK Infrastructure Holdings (CKI): CK Infrastructure Holdings is the Hong Kong-listed parent company of Northern Gas Networks and a major global infrastructure investor. It is included as a peer context because it sets NGN's capital allocation framework and is the controlling shareholder, but it is not a direct operational comparable.
• Centrica: Centrica is a major UK energy supplier and services group (British Gas) and a confirmed partner of Northern Gas Networks on the Knapton H2 Storage Consortium. While not a network operator, it represents a comparable UK energy infrastructure participant and a key stakeholder in the hydrogen transition strategy relevant to NGN.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ngngas
• Facebooken-gb.facebook.com/northerngasnetworks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northern-gas-networks

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Northern Gas Networks