Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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105. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason that energy providers are continued to be permitted to set the rate at which they purchase electricity back to the grid, including the imposition of standing charges on customers who have installed renewable systems to provide net electricity to the grid; if he will provide a directive to the regulator in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54307/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European Union regulatory regime wherein electricity and gas markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive. Operating within this overall EU framework, responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets, including the matters raised by your question, is solely a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), which was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity and gas markets following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA), 1999.

The CRU published a decision on an interim enabling framework for the Clean Energy Guarantee (CEG) which outlines the arrangements for how new and existing micro-and small-scale generators will receive payment for excess renewable electricity they export to the grid, reflective of the market value. As part of this, the CRU has decided that suppliers will set their individual CEG tariffs on a competitive market basis. Price setting by electricity suppliers, including standing charges is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned.

The key benefit of micro-generation is the money you save on your electricity bill by consuming some of your own power, especially as we see rising electricity bills as a result of the war in Ukraine.

The CRU has asked all suppliers to communicate their decision to their customers on when initial CEG payments will be made at the earliest opportunity. I am aware that most suppliers have now advertised their rates, which range from €13.5c/kWh up to €20c/kW. The CRU advises customers to contact their supplier to obtain information on their suppliers' CEG tariff arrangements.

CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them raise questions on general energy regulatory matters to CRU at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.