Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 66: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the agreements in place between Ireland and the UK for the import and export of energy once the east-west interconnector between Ireland and Wales comes on stream; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10111/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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At the Government's request, EirGrid the State owned transmission system operator is building the East West Interconnector between the electricity grids of Ireland and Britain. The construction and operation of the East West Interconnector is the responsibility of EirGrid. This national strategic project is on schedule and on budget for delivery by 2012. The full cost of the Interconnector is underwritten by all electricity customers under the regulatory model implemented by the Commission for Energy Regulation.

The European Commission is giving particular strategic priority to strengthening electricity interconnection across Europe. The strategic importance of the East West Interconnector project was recognised by the Commission with the granting of aid of €110m for the project in 2009 as part of the economy recovery support package for European interconnection and energy infrastructure. The East West Interconnector will enable the import and export of electricity between Ireland and Britain. It will underpin the progressive integration of the two electricity markets and will support the further integration of wind onto the Irish energy system.

The arrangements for the import and export of electricity are governed by European Union law – in particular Regulation (EC) 714/2009 on conditions for access to the network for cross-border exchanges in electricity and its annexed Congestion Management Guidelines. These guidelines require market based trading arrangements on all interconnectors to ensure efficient cross border trade.

The specific trading and access arrangement for the East West Interconnector will be set out in the East West Access Rules that were recently consulted on by EirGrid and are subject to regulatory approval by the Commission for Energy Regulation in Ireland and Ofgem in Great Britain. All electricity imported and/or exported across the East West Interconnector will be traded through the Single Electricity Market which determines the mandatory all-island wholesale electricity trading arrangements for Ireland and Northern Ireland that have been in place since November 2007. In Great Britain, the requirements for the import and export of electricity are governed by the British Electricity Trading and Transmission Arrangements (BETTA).