Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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20. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide details of the companies that are benefitting from public service obligation funding; the amounts each company received since 2001 broken down by year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3913/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy has been in place since 2001 and is the overall support mechanism for generation constructed for security of supply purposes, including peat generation, and for the development of renewable electricity. It is designed to compensate electricity suppliers for the additional costs they incur by purchasing electricity generated by these producers. The PSO levy is vital to enable Ireland to meet its 40% target for electricity generated from renewable sources by 2020, which in turn is important for the achievement of Ireland's 16% EU 2020 target for renewable energy.

The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) determines the PSO levy which is a charge on all electricity customers without exception. The legal basis for the PSO levy and its method of calculation are set out in Regulations made under the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 (S.I. 217 of 2002).

In accordance with legislation the CER also administers payment of the PSO Levy in accordance with the provisions of SI 217 of 2002. My Department does not keep the records sought by the Deputy.

The annual PSO levy amount for 2014/2015 is €335.4 million. This equates to €64.37 per annum for residential customers, €221.66 per annum for small to medium sized business customers and €34.20/kVA for medium and large customers