The Clogher Valley area will be included in the Gas to the West project, Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has said.

Asked for an update on the project by DUP MLA Lord Morrow, the Minister replied: “There is very exciting news about the Gas to the West project. The preferred bidder has been announced, and, as I understand it, the licence will be awarded in early February. A period will then follow when the company will engage with the local community on the gas network.” She clarified that “the Clogher Valley will now be very much part of the transmission network. We look forward to it delivering for Dungannon, the Clogher Valley, Enniskillen, Cookstown and Strabane.” She told the Assembly: “That Gas to the West project has not been talked about much, but it really will make a difference to a lot of people right across the west of the Province in our industrial firms and domestic homes.” The successful bidders, announced in August 2014, were Northern Ireland Energy Holdings (Mutual Energy Ltd) for high pressure supply and Scotia Gas Networks for low pressure supply. The reserve applicants are BGE UK (high pressure) and firmus (low pressure).

These gas licences will bring natural gas to Strabane, Omagh, Enniskillen, the Clogher Valley, Derrylin, Dungannon, Coalisland, Cookstown and Magherafelt. Customers are due to be connected in 2017-2018. The overall cost of the project is expected to exceed £200 million and the Executive has offered to contribute up to £32.5 million.