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Facts About The Industry

  1. The ongoing investment within the Phoenix Licensed Area does not attract any grant or support from local or UK Government. The investment is a standalone private venture.
  2. Kellen Acquisitions Ltd wholly owns the Phoenix Natural Gas Group since October 2005. Kellen Acquisitions Ltd is a company formed at the direction of Terra Firma. Terra Firma is a well-established private equity manager. Guy Hands founded it in 1994. The funds it invests are raised from financial institutions and other large investors.
  3. The Phoenix Natural Gas Group has around 200 employees – all employed locally.
  4. In addition to the private shareholder natural gas investment, the wider natural gas industry is investing in the local economy. Over £500 million has been invested by all involved with the Gas Industry over the last 10 years - most of this employing local labour to convert homes and businesses to natural gas.
  5. There are around 500 companies in Northern Ireland employing over 1,000 CORGI registered installers.
  6. A buoyant local gas industry has developed and brought much needed local employment and skills.
  7. There are over 118,000 homes and businesses connected to natural gas at the end of June 2008.
  8. Around 200 new customers were connected to the natural gas network every week throughout 2008.
  9. Approximately one kilometre of new natural gas network has been constructed each working day since 1996.
  10. On average Northern Ireland domestic natural gas consumers use less gas than natural gas consumers in Great Britain. As a major energy provider, the Phoenix Natural Gas Group has a duty to promote the efficient use of our product. We endeavour to train relevant staff and promote energy efficiency whilst providing free advice to customers. Furthermore, gas installers are trained to install and explain the advantages of heating controls.
  11. Northern Ireland has, in Greater Belfast, a brand new “state of the art” natural gas infrastructure, which is the envy of many growing economies worldwide.
  12. Over 2,906 kilometres of new gas pipelines had been constructed across Greater Belfast by the end of May 2008
  13. Approximately 70% of the new gas infrastructure has been completed using revolutionary “No Dig” technology.
  14. Natural gas is available to the vast majority of businesses, new build developments, public housing and to an increasing number of private residential areas. Nearly 265,000 properties had access to natural gas at the end of May 2008 – 43% of these properties were using it.
  15. Compared to alternative fuels, natural gas customers prevented around 243,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere in 2007. That's the same amount of air pollution as removing over 75,600 cars from the road for a year.
  16. Compared to alternative fuels, natural gas industrial and commercial customers prevented over 6,250 tonnes of sulphur dioxide from entering the atmosphere in 2007. That's equivalent to a cloud of polluted air over 1 mile high covering the whole of Northern Ireland. .
  17. Compared to alternative fuels, natural gas domestic customers prevented 1,450 tonnes of sulphur dioxide from entering the atmosphere in 2007. That means that every domestic user saved the equivalent of a cloud of polluted air 1 mile high that covered 150 homes in their neighbourhood.
  18. The natural gas industry is highly regulated in terms of charges, service delivery and safety – unlike oil.
  19. Low-income homeowners on benefit can qualify for a free central heating system via the Department of Social Development’s Warm Homes Plus Scheme.
  20. Natural gas makes Northern Ireland more marketable to inward investors looking to locate their businesses here.