Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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Question 195: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will address issues raised by a person (details supplied) in relation to the REFIT scheme; the position regarding assessment of the situation as it relates to the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8300/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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1The commercial operator in question owns a 4.62MW windfarm based in County Cork which was built in 1999 under the Alternative Energy Requirement (AER) 3 competitive tendering scheme. The operator entered a 15-year power purchase agreement with ESB which was the sole contracting partner (as Public Electricity Supplier) for all AERs. The AER scheme is funded under the Public Service Obligations levy.

In late 2008, after some 9 years in AER, the operator took a commercial decision to withdraw from the AER support scheme and participate in the Single Electricity Wholesale Market (SEM) on a stand alone commercial basis. One of the agreed conditions of withdrawing from the AER scheme is that operators/companies have no right of return. The REFIT support scheme which succeeded the AER Scheme is in place to underpin new renewable energy projects and existing operators are not eligible for the Scheme.