30-Second Overview
Natural Gas Supply Point Capacity (SPC) is the maximum amount of gas your business is expected to use on its busiest day of the year. It determines how much capacity is reserved for your business on the national gas network.
Your gas SPC setting directly affects your commercial gas bills. If your SPC is set too high, you pay for capacity you do not need. An incorrect SPC can also affect your gas tariff classification and associated charges. Reviewing your SPC against your actual consumption helps prevent unnecessary costs.
⚡ Are you paying for gas capacity you don't need? Upload a recent gas bill using the link below. Our energy experts will check your SPC setting and analyse your gas rates for free. It only takes a few minutes.👇
How Does Gas Supply Point Capacity (SPC) Work?
Gas Supply Point Capacity (SPC) is the maximum daily gas demand allocated to your business, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) per day. It represents the capacity reserved on the natural gas network to meet your business's expected peak demand.
How Is Your Gas Supply Point Capacity (SPC) Determined?
Your gas Supply Point Capacity (SPC) is reviewed annually, with any changes taking effect from 1 October each year.
For existing connections, your gas supplier proposes the SPC based on historical gas consumption data, subject to approval by Gas Networks Ireland (GNI).
Changes in your business's gas consumption, operating hours or equipment can affect the capacity required. If your gas usage has decreased, reviewing your SPC can help identify unnecessary capacity charges.
How Does the Gas SPC Setting Affect Bills?
The impact of SPC depends on whether your business is classified under the SBU, MBU or FVT tariff. Our guide on Business Gas Tariffs explains how these pricing structures work.
Gas SPC and Business Gas Pricing Structure
| Tariff | Gas SPC Impact on Bills |
|---|---|
| SBU (Small Business User) | SPC is not charged separately |
| MBU (Medium Business User) | SPC drives the daily capacity charge |
| FVT (Fuel Variation Tariff) | SPC determines the daily site charge |
How to Review Your Gas SPC Setting
The first step is to check your current gas SPC setting. You can find this on your gas bill, usually under capacity or site charges. If it is not shown, contact your gas supplier or Gas Networks Ireland to request the information. To determine whether your SPC is set correctly, you will need:
- 12 months of gas consumption data to assess your usage throughout the year.
- Details of your gas appliances and operating hours to understand your peak daily demand.
- An assessment of your current SPC against your actual gas consumption to identify unnecessary capacity charges.
Your gas meter's Estimated Annual Consumption (EAC) is another important measure of usage. Our guide to Estimated Annual Consumption (EAC) explains how it is calculated.
How Utilityfair Can Help Reduce Natural Gas Costs
If you are unsure how to assess your SPC, our energy experts can review your gas consumption, SPC setting and capacity charges to identify unnecessary costs. We also compare gas rates across all Irish suppliers to secure the best available contract for your business.
Utilityfair is Ireland's largest and most reviewed commercial energy broker, trusted by over 20,000 active business customers. Our service is fast, independent and completely free.
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Fill out our enquiry form by clicking the link below, or call 01 547 0999 to speak with a Utilityfair energy expert and start saving.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Gas Supply Point Capacity (SPC) is the peak daily gas demand (in kWh per day) that your supplier reserves for your business on the national gas network. It ensures that enough gas is available for your maximum usage on the busiest day of the year.
For exiting gas connections, your gas SPC is calculated by Gas Networks Ireland based on your historical gas usage. For new gas connections, your gas SPC is estimated based on the appliances that require natural gas and thier expected hours of operation.
The gas SPC determines capacity charges on MBU tariffs and site charges on FVT tariffs. If your gas SPC is set too high, you will be overpaying on fixed charges and capacity charges every month. If the gas SPC is set too low, you will be on the wrong gas pricing structure and will also end up overpaying.
Yes. You can request a review through your supplier or Gas Networks Ireland if your expected gas usage has changed.
The gas meter SPC setting is reviewed annually, with updates taking effect on 1 October every year.
Yes. Your gas meter SPC setting is typically listed under “Capacity Charge” or “Site Charge” on business gas bills. You can also request it from your supplier or Gas Networks Ireland.
Incorrect gas meter SPC settings can cost hundreds to thousands of euros per year in unnecessary fixed charges and capacity charges. The cost is directly correlated with the size of the error.
An energy broker like Utilityfair can review your gas usage data, verify your SPC level, and help negotiate a more accurate capacity setting with your supplier.
