Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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243. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the new connection policy proposed by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, ECP-1, will prioritise providing a grid connection for renewables over fossil fuel plants. [13397/18]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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244. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if projects that have already applied to the ESB for a grid connection and have planning permission will receive a grid offer under ECP-1. [13398/18]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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245. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if ECP-1 will increase the capacity of the batch size from 600 MW to 1,000 MW to ensure that all projects which currently have planning permission can connect to the electricity system. [13399/18]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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246. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the Commission for Regulation of Utilities will adequately resource the ESB to handle the number of renewable energy projects with planning looking to receive a grid connection. [13400/18]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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247. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the ESB will process more than 50 applications under the proposed new connection policy. [13401/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 243 to 247, inclusive, together.

The regulation of the electricity network, including the management of the grid connection process and related matters, is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), under the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999.  In this regard the CRU’s Work Plan outlining its key priorities for 2018 was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas earlier this year. The CRU is an independent statutory body, solely accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas, and I therefore have no function in the matter. 

As outlined on the CRU’s website, the CRU’s proposed decision on the Enduring Connection Policy ( ECP-1) was subject to public consultation between 2 November and 15 December 2017. The CRU's consideration of stakeholder feedback is ongoing. My Department further understands that the CRU proposes to issue a final decision on ECP-1 by the end of March 2018.