Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Question 300: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he anticipates delays in payments under the REFIT scheme this year; when he anticipates that these payments will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6455/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The REFIT scheme is funded through the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy which is charged to all electricity consumers and the mechanism is well established. The PSO levy is calculated and certified by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). REFIT payments under the first REFIT scheme to those included by the CER in their 2011/2012 PSO levy decision are currently being paid on a monthly basis, and there is no delay.

Five months ahead of the start of the PSO year (which commences 1 October), electricity suppliers are obliged to advise CER of those generators with whom they have entered into REFIT Power Purchase Agreements that will be exporting electricity to the grid during the following period and on behalf of whose exported metered generation the suppliers are eligible to receive REFIT payments from the PSO levy fund. Those projects are then included in the PSO decision by CER and only those projects included in the decision are eligible for payments.

The calendar year 2012 as is the norm with the PSO mechanism straddles two PSO years. The 2011/2012 PSO year runs to 30 September 2012 and the 2012/2013 PSO year will commence on 1 October 2012. Those projects that were included in the 2011/2012 levy fund calculation by CER are currently being paid and will continue to receive payments up to 30 September. Those eligible for payment in the 2012/2013 PSO year which commences 1 October will be determined on the basis of information provided by suppliers to CER 5 months ahead of the commencement of the next PSO levy year.

My Department is currently also working to finalise the terms and conditions for the new REFIT Scheme recently cleared by the EU Commission, with a view to its launch shortly.