Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will report on the results of CER's smart metering trials; when the roll out of the national smart meter programme will commence; the form that it will take; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12727/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The National Smart Metering Programme is a central component of strategy to radically enhance management of energy demand, deliver smart networks and enable greater energy efficiency through the use of cutting-edge technology. It is also in line with EU requirements where Member States are obliged to progress smart metering.

Development of a national smart meter programme is progressing to schedule. Phase 1 of the programme concludes this year with the completion of Technology Trials and Customer Behaviour Trials for both electricity and gas smart metering. The aim of the Customer Behaviour Trials is to determine the potential for smart meters to achieve measurable change in consumer behaviour in terms of assisting them to reduce their peak and overall energy usage. The electricity trials, which have been among the most comprehensive and robust smart metering trials conducted internationally to date, have recently been completed and the findings were published by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) on 16 May. The findings generally indicate that a national rollout of electricity smart metering can assist consumers in being more efficient in their use of electricity and as a result reduce consumer electricity costs and carbon emissions. The results of the gas smart meter trials will be published by the CER later this year.

A critical component of Phase 1 of the national smart meter programme is the associated cost-benefit analysis, which will crucially inform the Government's decisions in due course relating to a national smart metering rollout. The Cost-Benefit Analysis for electricity smart metering was recently finalised by the ESRI informed by the electricity trials findings and other data. This comprehensive analysis, which was also published by the CER on 16 May, concludes that a positive net benefit for consumers would arise from a national rollout of electricity smart metering.

The positive findings from the electricity smart metering trials and associated cost-benefit analysis will inform and facilitate the further development of the national smart meter programme. The CER proposes to undertake a consultation with stakeholders in the coming months on the proposed high level regulatory design and implementation approach for a national smart metering rollout. It is proposed that this consultation will cover both electricity and gas smart metering, taking into account also the results of the gas smart meter trials and associated cost-benefit analysis, which are due in August. The CER expects to be in a position to publish its decision on a national smart metering rollout for electricity and gas in October. Publication of the CER's decision will mark the formal conclusion of Phase 1 of the programme. Following the CER Decision and further analysis by my Department, I intend to bring forward proposals on the Programme to Government towards the end of the year.