Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the installation of pilot scheme smart electronic meters; when same will be rolled out to every home as per the Programme for Government; the full cost for the pilot scheme and the estimated cost for the roll out to every home; the geographic locations of the pilot scheme; if this will facilitate the introduction of a micro generation strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35616/07]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government commits to having a smart meter in every home as part of demand management and energy efficiency strategies. The provision of smart metering technology will allow customers to manage their own demand for electricity and reduce their bills. In this way, smart metering is a key strategy for promoting efficient use of electricity and reducing the amount of electricity we generate, particularly at peak times. This, in turn, would lead to reductions in both the costs of generating electricity, which is at its most expensive at peak times and in the levels of harmful emissions produced by that generation. Smart metering will also assist in the further development of micro generation, by facilitating the export of micro generated electricity, and the development of distributed generation.

The implementation of smart metering is being led, at my request, by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and overseen by a High level Steering Group comprising My Department, CER, Sustainable Energy Ireland, ESB Networks (ESBN) and an Independent Operators representative.

Technical Working Groups, with wider industry representation, are being established by the CER, and will be operational from January next to address all relevant issues such as tariffing, networks, data management and the optimal geographic distribution for the first phase roll out. ESB Networks has initiated the procurement process for smart meters and anticipates test meters will be available by mid 2008. ESBN plans an ambitious roll out of meters to begin in summer 2008 with a view to meeting the target of 25,000 meters installed by years end.

At this early stage the best estimate available for the cost of the first phase roll out of 25,000 meters is €10m. The initial estimate for the full network roll out is of the order of €600m under the Networks Investment Programme, which is regulated by the CER.