Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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185. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on customers in rural areas being charged more than those in urban areas for electricity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23182/23]

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 the Deputy, 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 is an independent statutory regulator and is accountable for the performance of its functions to the Oireachtas, and not to me as Minister.

I understand electricity customers are allocated to a Distribution Use of System (DUoS) Group. This is done and set out as part of the connection agreement. The allocation of a customer to a particular group can be based on several factors including the type of use, the voltage a premises is connected at, the type of meter installed, or if electricity is exported. In this regard it is of note that a domestic customer, for the purpose of electricity supply, can be defined as any premises whose main purpose is that of a single residence and where the connection agreement is with a private individual, with an MIC (Maximum Import Capacity) up to 29KVA.

ESB Networks, the electricity Distribution System Operator, published with the approval of CRU, ‘Rules for Application of DUoS Tariff Group’. This document outlines the rules for applying the correct Distribution Use of System (DUoS) tariff (DUoS Group) to a customer premises or connection point and is available at: www.cru.ie/wp-content/uploads/2004/07/cer04300.pdf.

The CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them raise questions on energy regulatory matters, such as the matter raised in this question, to CRU at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.