Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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986. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has examined the recent submission made in respect of the calculation and methodology employed in determining the public service obligation levy calculation (details supplied); if he will examine the alternative method submitted, which would acknowledge the distinction between domestic and small accounts with MIC less than 30 KVA, as is the existing practice, but which also allows the medium and large accounts be levied at the same fee rate of up to 29 KVA, and only per KVA on the balance that exceeds 30 KVA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19897/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers. I am currently in the process of developing a new Energy Policy Paper which will set out Ireland’s energy policy out to 2030. The Public Service Obligation (PSO), and the levy associated with it, are matters for consideration, along with many others, in the context of developing the forthcoming policy document. However, given the total amount of the PSO has to be recovered by the levy, it should be noted that changes to it which would have the effect of reducing the amount paid by some users, as proposed in the paper submitted by the Deputy, would result in some, or all, other users paying more. This is acknowledged in the paper.

The 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. No. 217 of 2002). 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.

The biggest driver for the levy rise for this year is the lower predicted wholesale market electricity price, which is estimated to be around 10% lower than last year. This results in lower predicted market income for the PSO plants and, therefore, a higher levy is required to cover their allowed costs. The lower wholesale electricity price is currently being driven by lower international gas prices in evidence since mid-2013. This drives up the proposed PSO levy. However, if these lower gas and wholesale prices are sustained, it will reduce the wholesale cost of electricity that suppliers pay. In turn, suppliers should be in a position to reduce their retail prices and potentially offset the PSO levy increase. I note increased competition in the retail electricity sector recently which should help offset some of the PSO increase. The CER is tasked with retail market monitoring and executes this role vigorously to ensure competition leads to the fairest prices for customers.