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 “space” your gas supplier reserves in the national gas network to guarantee your supply.
The gas meter SPC setting has a direct impact on your commercial gas bills. If the SPC is too high, you will pay more on capacity charges. If the SPC is set too low, you will be put on the wrong pricing structure, resulting in higher bills. The gas meter SPC must be set correctly for your usage, so that you do not overpay.
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What Does Gas Supply Point Capacity (SPC) Mean?
Gas Supply Point Capacity (SPC) is the technical term used to describe the forecasted peak daily demand that your business requires. It is measured in kWh. For existing connections, the gas SPC is set by Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) based on the recorded historical usage. The gas SPC is essentially the capacity reserved on the gas network to meet your expected demand.
Who Sets Your Gas SPC and How?
Your gas meter SPC is reviewed annually, with any changes taking effect from 1 October each year. For existing connections where there is historical usage available, the gas meter SPC is proposed by your gas supplier and approved by Gas Networks Ireland (GNI). For new connections where no historical usage is available, the gas SPC is set based on the appliances that require gas and thier expected hours of operation.
How Does the Gas SPC Setting Affect Bills?
Your SPC affects what you pay for (i) capacity charges, and (ii) site charges for large users. If your gas SPC is set too high, you will pay for capacity you do not need. If your gas SPC is set too low, you will be on the wrong pricing structure for small users and will end up overpaying.
Gas SPC and Business Gas Pricing Structure
| Tariff | Gas SPC Impact on Bills |
|---|---|
| SBU (Small Business User) | Gas SPC is not charged separately |
| MBU (Medium Business User) | Gas SPC drives the daily capacity charge |
| FVT (Fuel Variation Tariff) | Gas SPC determines the daily site charge |
How to Check or Review Your Gas SPC
The first step is to find your current gas SPC setting. You can find this on your gas bill (usually under “capacity” or “site charge”). If you can not see the gas SPC setting on your bill, you can phone your gas supplier or Gas Networks Ireland and request the current SPC setting. To review if your gas SPC is set correctly, you’ll need:
- 12 months of usage data (in kWh)
- An understanding of appliances and business operating hours
- Advice from a reputable broker, like Utilityfair, if you are unsure what to look for
How Utilityfair Can Help Reduce Natural Gas Costs
Utilityfair is Ireland's largest and most reviewed commercial energy broker. We can quickly analyse your gas bill and compare it against current market pricing from all suppliers. For you, this can be a time-consuming and sometimes complex task. For our energy experts, it only takes a couple of minutes. We already have the latest pricing from all suppliers loaded into our models. Utilityfair simplifies the process for you, and it is completely free.
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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.
