Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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104. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the refund from electrical suppliers to micro-generating customers will start; the amounts that will be refunded; and the reason for the delay. [32684/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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On the 15 February this year I signed the Regulations that create an obligation on suppliers to offer the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff to new and existing micro-and small-scale generators so that they will receive payment for excess renewable electricity they export to the grid, reflective of the market value. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) published a decision on an interim enabling framework for the CEG which outlines the arrangements for the implementation of the CEG, including eligibility criteria and remuneration methodology. More information is available here: www.cru.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/CRU21131-Interim-Clean-Export-Guarantee-Decision-Paper.pdf. Micro-generators who wish to become eligible should register for an export grid connection from ESB Networks (Micro-Generators (esbnetworks.ie)) and have a smart meter where applicable (Smart Meter Upgrade FAQs (esbnetworks.ie)).

Over 29,000 micro- and small-scale generators have successfully registered for export and 20,000 of this cohort have smart meters which means they are already accruing the value of the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff for their exported electricity, and payments will be backdated to the date of eligibility or the 15th February 2022, whichever is the latest.

The CRU has decided that suppliers will set their individual CEG tariffs on a competitive market basis. Once eligible, customers can expect an initial payment or credit from their suppliers from 1 July depending on billing cycle. The CRU has asked suppliers to communicate their decision to their customers on when initial Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) payments will be made at the earliest opportunity.

The CRU encourages customers to contact their supplier to obtain information on their suppliers' CEG tariff arrangements.