Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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25. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his Department’s work to date in rolling out smart metering; and his views on the recent decision paper issued by the Commission for Energy Regulation on the high level design of smart metering. [40365/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The National Smart Metering Programme is a central component of the Government’s strategy to enhance management of energy demand, deliver smart networks and enable greater energy efficiency. It is also aligned with EU obligations on Member States under the Energy Efficiency Directive to progress smart metering. Under the European Union (Energy Efficiency Regulations) 2014 the roll-out of smart meters is a function of the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER).A major programme of technology and user trials showed that a national rollout of smart meters would be likely to lead to overall reductions in electricity and gas consumption and a reduction in peak-time electricity consumption of over 8%. Following the successful completion of these trials by the CER a decision to proceed to the design of the National Smart Metering Programme was taken in 2012.

On the 14 October 2014 the CER published its decision on the High Level Design for the National Smart Metering Programme. The decision addresses four key areas of core design, Time of Use tariffs, the presentation of energy usage information and how Pay-As-You-Go processes will operate when gas and electricity smart meters have been installed. Cost and benefits will continue to be monitored at critical programme milestones.

I welcome the ongoing progress on this important project.