IFS Copperleaf helps electric utilities optimise capital investment decisions through Asset Investment Planning (AIP)—maximising value while balancing reliability, cost, risk, and energy transition goals, and building defensible, regulator-ready plans.
Natural gas utilities are under increasing pressure to deliver safe, reliable service while meeting regulatory expectations and managing constrained capital budgets. Making the right investment decisions is becoming more complex as infrastructure ages and risks increase. Asset Investment Planning (AIP) provides a structured, value-based approach to deciding where and when to invest capital—helping utilities optimise decisions and build defensible long-term strategies.
Overcome the Most Pressing Capital Planning Challenges in Natural Gas Utilities
Natural gas networks include ageing pipelines, compressors, and distribution assets that pose increasing safety and reliability risks. Utilities must prioritise replacement and maintenance decisions carefully—ensuring the highest-risk assets are addressed first while optimising limited capital budgets and reducing risk per dollar spent.
Natural gas utilities must justify capital investment decisions through rate cases and long-term regulatory submissions. IFS Copperleaf provides traceable decision logic and documented trade-offs—enabling transparent, auditable, and defensible investment plans aligned to regulatory outcomes and customer commitments.
See how IFS Copperleaf can help you strengthen regulatory confidence!
Hydrogen blending, network repurposing, and emissions reduction introduce uncertainty into long-term planning. IFS Copperleaf enables AI-enhanced scenario analysis to evaluate multiple transition pathways—helping utilities build resilient capital plans without relying on a single forecast.
Utilities must deliver reliable and affordable electricity while managing risk and financial constraints. Investment decisions must consider trade-offs across cost, risk, reliability, and long-term performance outcomes.
AIP Software for Natural Gas Utilities
Expert Services to Support Natural Gas Utility Capital Planning
Implementation and Onboarding
Deploy a solution tailored to natural gas utility planning processes—integrating asset risk models, the IFS Copperleaf Value Framework, and data aligned to regulatory and operational requirements from day one.
Data and Analytics Consulting
Transform inspection, integrity, and operational data into actionable capital investment intelligence—enabling reliable, risk-based planning across gas networks.
Training and Enablement
Equip planning, asset, and finance teams with the skills to independently build, test, and defend capital investment plans.
Strategic Planning Support
Develop long-range capital strategies aligned to rate cases, decarbonisation goals, safety targets, and regulatory commitments.
Proven Impact Across Natural Gas Utilities
reduction in risk exposure achieved by IFS Copperleaf gas utility clients
reduction in investment planning time with IFS Copperleaf gas T&D software
saved annually by National Gas Transmission through 4% CapEx efficiency gains
Trusted by the World’s Leading Natural Gas Utilities
IFS Copperleaf provides us with a framework and the technology to enable us to make the best decisions for our customers and our stakeholders.
ONE Gas has over 3 million assets in IFS Copperleaf’s solution. Across the enterprise, we can look holistically at these assets, scope projects, and optimise a work plan that delivers the most value to our stakeholders
IFS Copperleaf helped us integrate multiple risk models into one system to support our regulatory reporting. It has also allowed us to produce an effective investment strategy for our GD2 price control period.
Resources to Guide Your Gas T&D Strategy
Blog
Case Study: Gasunie Advances Energy Transition with AI-Powered, Risk-Informed Capital Strategy
Case Study
Case Study: An Integrated Asset Investment Planning and Management Process at National Gas Transmission
Case Study
ONE Gas Develops Risk-Informed Asset Investment Planning
Latest Insights on Gas T&D Asset Management
Blog
The Future of Regulatory Readiness Is Structured, Not Narrative
Blog
Guest Post: Northern Gas Networks on Using Automation to Group Linear Assets
Case Study
Case Study: Multi-sector Asset Investment Planning and Management at Rheinische NETZGesellschaft
Natural Gas Utilities FAQs
1. What is Asset Investment Planning (AIP) for natural gas utilities?
Asset Investment Planning (AIP) is a structured, value-based approach to deciding where and when to invest capital across gas utility asset portfolios. IFS Copperleaf provides an AIP solution that sits above operational systems to create defensible, regulator-ready capital plans.
2. How does IFS Copperleaf support gas utilities through the energy transition?
IFS Copperleaf is a gas utility capital planning solution—not a SCADA, GIS, or operational management system. While operational tools run and monitor gas networks day-to-day, IFS Copperleaf serves as the strategic planning layer above those systems.
For the energy transition, IFS Copperleaf helps gas T&D operators model multiple future energy scenarios—including hydrogen blending, biomethane integration, and network repurposing. This enables long-term investment strategies that remain resilient to regulatory change and evolving energy mix assumptions.
3. How does IFS Copperleaf gas utility capital planning software support regulatory submissions like RIIO?
IFS Copperleaf generates transparent, data-driven investment rationales aligned with price control frameworks such as RIIO-2. Gas T&D operators can model risk using NOMs and other methodologies, producing defensible plans that satisfy regulators and build stakeholder confidence.
4. How does IFS Copperleaf help gas operators plan for hydrogen and low-carbon gas?
IFS Copperleaf includes scenario modelling capabilities that allow operators to evaluate investment strategies under multiple future energy mix assumptions—including hydrogen blending and biomethane integration—so they can build robust capital plans despite uncertainty.
5. Which types of gas operators use IFS Copperleaf?
IFS Copperleaf is used by gas transmission operators, gas distribution network operators, integrated utilities, LNG facility operators, and multi-energy network operators globally. Clients include National Gas Transmission, Gasunie, Northern Gas Networks, ONE Gas, FortisBC, and SGN.
Ready to see how AIP works in your industry?
Talk to an IFS Copperleaf expert who knows your sector — and see what the Copperleaf Value Framework looks like calibrated to your strategic and regulatory context.