SGN (previously Scotia Gas Networks) is a British gas distribution company. It manages

natural Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physics, physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomenon, phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. ...

and green gas distribution networks in Scotland and in the south of England. As of 2014/15 SGN operates more than of pipes. In the same period, SGN spent £500million on upgrading the network.

History

The company was formed in 2005 as Scotia Gas Networks. From that year it was 50% owned by

SSE plc SSE plc (formerly Scottish and Southern Energy plc) is a multinational energy company headquartered in Perth, Scotland. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange, and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. SSE operates in the United Kingdom and ...

. In September 2014 it was renamed SGN. SSE sold 16.7% of the company to the

Abu Dhabi Investment Authority The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority ( ar, جهاز أبوظبي للاستثمار, ADIA) is a sovereign wealth fund owned by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (in the United Arab Emirates) founded for the purpose of investing funds on behalf of the Gover ...

in 2016. In March 2021, SSE sold its remaining one-third share for £1225 million, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority sold its one-sixth holding. The purchasers were the

Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board (french: Régime de retraite des enseignantes et des enseignants de l'Ontario) is an independent organization responsible for administering defined-benefit pensions for school teachers of the Canadian pr ...

, which increased its stock holding from 25% to 37.5%, and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, which bought 37.5%; the

Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System The Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) is a Canadian public pension fund, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. OMERS is a defined benefit, jointly sponsored, multi-employer public pension plan created in 1962 by Ontario provinci ...

retained its 25% holding, which in December 2021 it sold to the American private equity firm

Global Infrastructure Partners Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) is an infrastructure investment fund making equity and selected debt investments. GIP's main headquarters are located in New York City and its equity investments are based on infrastructure assets in the energ ...

. The financial terms of the sale were not disclosed, but the ''Globe and Mail'' reported the price was 1.6 billion Canadian dollars. In September 2020 the company commissioned

Wood Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin th ...

to create a "decarbonisation roadmap" for the north-east and east coast of Scotland.

Funding for innovation

In 2014, SGN was awarded funding from the industry regulator,

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, to develop two projects. "Opening up the Gas Market" is an investigation into whether the British Gas Safety Regulations could be changed to accept different types of gas. "Robotics" is a project to develop technology for repairing steel mains without interrupting the gas.

Thornton Heath gas explosion

A gas explosion in

Croydon Croydon is a large town in south London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London. It is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an extensive ...

, London, on 8 August 2022 resulted in the death of a 4-year-old girl, Sahara Salman. Several other local residents were seriously injured. SGN had been notified of the gas leak on 30 July but failed to take any action and ignored further warnings from local residents.

References

External links

* {{Energy in the United Kingdom, companies Energy companies established in 2005 Utilities of the United Kingdom Natural gas companies of the United Kingdom Natural gas pipeline companies Companies based in Surrey OMERS companies British companies established in 2005