The company said that this is a significant development for Bord Gais in the implementation of its all-island, dual-fuel strategy.

Mark Prentice, general manager of Firmus Energy, said: Firmus Energy is now in a strong position to compete for and secure natural gas contracts with leading businesses right across Northern Ireland. We believe that our entry into the Belfast market will first and foremost bring choice for natural gas customers and, with energy an increasingly important operating cost for businesses, we hope to be able to provide a greater degree of flexibility and transparency in our pricing options, as well as a differentiated service offer for customers.