Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 279: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the amount raised from the public service obligation levy charged to residential electricity customers since its introduction; the amount contributed by residents from each county in tabular form and from north Tipperary; the amounts and number of renewable energy projects funded to date from the PSO levy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4612/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

By virtue of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 (Public Service Obligations) Orders 2002, public service obligations which relate to electricity generation have been imposed on ESB with effect from 1 January 2003 in the interests of security of supply and environmental protection. All PSO orders require the approval of the European Commission. The Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the PSO levy arrangements and certifying the additional costs incurred by ESB in accordance with the terms of the PSO order.

The PSO levy is imposed on three categories of electricity account holders so that each category pays a percentage of the levy in each year in proportion to its share of the maximum system demand, as determined each year by the CER. This results in a total PSO levy for each category which is then applied to individual account holders within each category so that, for instance, domestic and small account holders pay a standard charge per electricity bill while medium and large account holders pay on the basis of a standard charge per kVA of maximum import capacity. Adoption of this approach will not result in any cross-subsidisation between the categories as the "percentage of total system capacity" allocates the total PSO levy in a consistent non-discriminatory way across all categories.

In regard to the Deputy's request for statistical information, my Department is endeavouring to compile the information in conjunction with the CER. It has not been possible within the constraints of time and available resources to source the information. Such data as is available will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.