Utility prepares IT for gas distribution control

Northern Gas Networks (NGN) has begun developing an IT infrastructure to control the gas distribution network it bought from National Grid last June.

Currently, NGN uses a gas control service provided by National Grid Gas, but the company plans to assume control of these operations over the next two years.

To build the infrastructure, NGN is procuring a Scada (supervisory control and data acquisition) system and a business application system that will include telemetry, forecasting, and workflow management, plus desktop applications.

It has put out a wide-reaching tender for IT equipment and services that includes supplying and managing the network, hardware, business applications, datacentre and disaster recovery centre.

"For NGN to have an operational self-standing gas control room by May 2009, NGN requires the necessary IT infrastructure to operate a gas control room," said the company in its procurement statement.

Systems will need to be in place from early 2008 to allow for testing and staff training, said NGN.

Among the IT services that NGN requires are desktop, server and network management, disaster recovery, IT infrastructure support and maintenance, and Wan, Lan and wireless network management.

NGN said it was unable to put a total value on the contract at this time.