Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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49. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he plans to remove the PSO levy in order to assist businesses that are struggling with increasing energy costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46743/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The PSO is an important instrument to support renewable electricity development and underpin the investment needed to meet Ireland's target of 80% of electricity demand to be met from renewable energy sources by 2030.

The Government agreed in the National Energy Security Framework published in April to reduce the Public Service Obligation (PSO) Levy to zero by October 2022. In addition, the Government introduced legislation to in July via the EirGrid, Electricity and Turf (Amendment) Act 2022 to allow for PSO payments to be made to consumers where Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) determines that there is a benefit to be paid to final customers in a particular PSO period.

CRU’s Decision Paper on the PSO Levy for 2022/23 (www.cru.ie/document_group/decision-paper-public-service-obligation-levy-2022-23/) determined that the amount for the upcoming PSO Year 2022/23 is a payment to electricity consumers of €491.25 million. This benefit will equate to the following:

-€89.10 per annum per domestic customer,

-€311.51 per annum for small commercial customer, and

-€37.82 per annum per kVA for medium/large customers.

The CRU have advised that the payment to final customers will not be feasible starting 1 October 2022. However, the CRU, in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, is working to ensure that billing and invoice arrangements can be urgently put in place to enable payments to customers as soon as possible within the 2022/23 PSO period. In the interim, as of October 1st, 2022, the CRU is setting the PSO levy to zero.