Continuity Arrangements
Every authorised person. Section A applies to everyone holding a heat network authorisation, whether they operate the network, supply heat over it, or both.
What this condition requires
Have a continuity plan prepared and in place at all times after the end of the first part of the initial period, setting out the strategy for safeguarding continuity of each regulated activity if you cease to carry it on (14.1). Ensure the information is accurate and prepared with due skill and care (14.2), maintained and kept up to date at all times (14.3), and provided to Ofgem on request (14.4). The plan must contain everything a Successor would reasonably require to carry on the activity efficiently and effectively in compliance with its regulatory obligations, including key service providers and staff; consumers where applicable; arrangements for maintaining, updating and accessing metering and billing information; management structures; and Material Assets (14.5). It may satisfy this by signposting other documents or records where the information can be readily obtained, provided you maintain them or have a legal or contractual right of access at all times (14.6). It must also set out your expectations of the process by which a Successor would take over, including any contractual step-in arrangements, and how you have complied with A12 (14.7). Further duties apply on transfer, revocation or ceasing to trade (14.8 onwards). Note the regulator's expectation that operation and maintenance documentation is retained digitally and accessibly for at least five years.
The condition in full
Reproduced from Ofgem’s Heat Network Authorisation Conditions decision, January 2026, Appendix 2.
Continuity Plan
14.1 The authorised person must ensure that it has prepared and has in place, at all times after the first part of the initial period has ended, a continuity plan, which sets out the authorised person's strategy for safeguarding the continuity of each regulated activity that it is authorised (or treated as authorised) to carry on in the event that it ceases to carry on any such activity (the "continuity plan").
14.2 The authorised person must ensure that the information included in the continuity plan is accurate and is prepared with due skill and care.
14.3 The authorised person must ensure that the information included in its continuity plan is maintained and kept-up-to date at all times.
14.4 The authorised person must upon request provide the continuity plan to the Authority at any time after the first part of the initial period has ended.
14.5 The continuity plan must include all information in relation to each regulated activity that the authorised person is authorised (or treated as authorised) to carry on that a Successor would reasonably require in order to carry on the activity efficiently and effectively in accordance with its regulatory obligations, including information on:
14.5.1 key service providers and staff;
14.5.2 Consumers, where applicable;
14.5.3 arrangements relating to the maintenance, updating of, and access to, all relevant metering and billing information, where applicable;
14.5.4 management structures; and
14.5.5 Material Assets.
14.6 The requirement for the information described in paragraph 14.5 to be included in the continuity plan will be satisfied if the continuity plan provides details of other documents or records (including electronic records) where that information can be readily obtained and those documents or records are either maintained by the authorised person itself or are available to the authorised person at all times under a legal or contractual right.
14.7 The continuity plan must also set out:
14.7.1 the authorised person's expectations of the process by which a Successor would take over the carrying on of each regulated activity, including details of any arrangements in place for contractual step-in or pursuant to paragraph 14.9; and
14.7.2 how the authorised person has complied with the requirements of authorisation condition A12 (Operational Arrangements and Material Assets).
Continuity on transfer or revocation or ceasing to trade
14.8 Where the authorised person consents to a transfer of the authorisation (in whole or in part) under regulation 24 of the Regulations, seeks the revocation of the authorisation (in whole or in part) under paragraph 15.1.1(a) of authorisation condition A15 (Revocation), is given notice of revocation (in whole or in part) under authorisation condition A15 (Revocation), or otherwise intends to cease carrying on a regulated activity, the authorised person must take all reasonable steps:
14.8.1 to ensure continuity of the regulated activity for each heat network consumer following the transfer, revocation or cessation, as applicable, on terms that are the same as or as similar as possible to the terms in place immediately before the transfer, revocation or cessation is to have effect; and
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14.8.2 to minimise the risk of disruption and detriment to heat network consumers.
Continuity obligations for networks with a separate supplier
14.9 Where, in respect of a relevant heat network, separate persons carry on the regulated activity of supply and the regulated activity of operating, where the authorised person is the operator:
14.9.1 the authorised person must ensure that arrangements are in place to enable it or a third party to carry on the regulated activity of supply in the event that the supplier ceases to carry on the regulated activity of supply; and
14.9.2 in the event that the supplier does cease to carry on the regulated activity of supply, the authorised person must either carry on the regulated activity of supply that has been so ceased itself or ensure that a third party does so.
Application of authorisation condition
14.10 Paragraphs 14.1 to 14.8 of this authorisation condition shall not apply where the authorised person:
14.10.1 is a Local Authority or an Excepted Company; or
14.10.2 carries on regulated activities only in relation to relevant heat networks that are either Industrial Heat Networks or Self-Supply Networks,
and where the authorised person carries on one or more regulated activities in relation to Industrial Heat Networks or Self-Supply Networks in addition to carrying on one or more regulated activities in relation to any other relevant heat network, this authorisation condition shall be construed as if it does not apply to the authorised person's activities in relation to Industrial Heat Networks or Self-Supply Networks.
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Does this apply to you?
Section A applies to every authorised person, so this condition applies to you regardless of whether you operate the network, supply heat over it, or both. The registration checker works out your full set in a few questions. Registration closes on 26 January 2027.