THE Department of Economic Development is reported to be close to agreeing a deal with British Gas for the supply of natural gas to consumers in Northern Ireland. The company wants exclusive access for eight years to over 150,000 customers in the greater Belfast area.

A second bidder, Northern Ireland Electricity and its partner, the US company Mountain Fuel, wants to in vest £100 million to supply gas to the north west of the region. But NIE wants a gas fired 250 megawatt power station to replace its existing plant and access to customers in the British Gas segment of the market.

It is feared that investors could ignore the northwest of Northern Ireland in the absence of a natural gas supply.