Connection Agreement

The Connection Agreement (Aansluitovereenkomst (AO)) is applicable to the connections of industries connected to GTS’s gas transmission grid. The Connection Code Gas TSO specifies that this type of agreement is a condition for the creation of a physical link between GTS and the connection.

In addition to the Connection Agreement mentioned above, GTS also uses two other kinds of agreement, i.e.:

The System Connection Agreement (Systeemverbindingsovereenkomst (SVO)): applicable to connections between the national gas transmission network and the gas transmission networks of local distribution companies (LDC)

The Grid Connection Agreement (GCA): applicable to other connections such as injectors (e.g. of green gas), border stations and storage facilities.

Which areas are regulated by the Connection Agreement (AO)?

The Connection Agreement (AO) covers all agreements relating to the physical link between the connected party and the national gas transmission network. The Connection Agreement (AO) also describes the conditions under which the gas is delivered (pressure, quality, capacity). The Connection Agreement also provides both the connected party and GTS with clarity regarding their respective responsibilities and tasks.

In accordance with the Connection Code Gas TSO, GTS may only make gas available at a connection if a Connection Agreement has been concluded for that connection.

The different elements of the Connection Agreement (AO)

The Connection Agreement (AO) is signed by both parties and consists of the following elements:

The agreement
in which the following are laid down, among others: contracting parties, the relationship with the Gas Codes, the General Conditions, the relevant legislation and regulations, effective date and contact details in the event of disasters;
The General Conditions
which complement the Gas Codes, being the most recent conditions adopted and brought into force by the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) on the basis of article 12f of the Dutch Gas Act (the Connection Code Gas TSO forms part of the Gas Codes) and which regulate how to handle gas quality, pressure, capacity, measuring, termination, building (and planting) rights, liability and force majeure;
The ‘Technical Specifications’
lay down the specific parameters of the connection, such as capacity, pressure, gas quality and any supplementary provisions;
The Connection Agreement
may contain provisions that deviate from the standard agreement. These may be provisions such as gas heating by a connected party for which the connected party receives a payment from GTS, the absence of a reserve metering and/or control run, odorisation and pressure agreements.
The standard transfer point
is one meter downstream of the insulating joint and consequently not described in the Connection Agreement. If a non-standard transfer point applies, this will be described in the Connection Agreement. For a better understanding of the transfer point it is possible to request a diagrammatic drawing.

Below you will find the General Terms and Conditions regarding the Connection Agreement.

Algemene Voorwaarden Aansluitovereenkomst versie 3.1

pdf

269 kB

14 Mar 2023

: There is no charge for terminating the connection but you do have to bear in mind the 3-month notice period. Your contractual obligations remain in force until the actual termination date.
Any contracted capacity cannot unfortunately be cancelled, except in the case of bankruptcy or business cessation, when contractual obligations arising from booked capacity are also terminated. 50% of the tariff of the remaining booking will be charged to the holder of the capacity for that.
: Article 16 of the General Conditions for Connection Agreements, version 3.1 accompanying the connection agreement describe the conditions under which termination is possible.
In addition, article 6.A.11 of the TSC deals with the supply of transmission capacity in the event of bankruptcy or business cessation.
: We will consult you when we start to dismantle the connection or part of it. GTS is responsible for removing the connection, including the connecting pipeline on your site. We will start to dismantle the connection within 2 years of the termination of the connection agreement.
The supply pipeline must always be depressurised before work can be done in the immediate vicinity of the connection or the supply pipeline.
: To dismantle the complete connection or a part of the connection, please look at “Termination of a connection”