Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As part of Budget 2024, Government approved a new tranche of Electricity Credits, which over 2.2 million households will benefit from, totalling €450 per household. Under the terms of the scheme, three payments of €150 (including VAT) are being made between December 2023 and April 2024.

The scheme is to be operated by the Distribution System Operator (ESB Networks), and electricity suppliers and overseen by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). Based on the number of domestic electricity accounts, ESBN will make payments to the individual energy suppliers who will then credit each domestic electricity account held with them.

The payments are being applied to domestic electricity accounts, including those with Pay As You Go meters, which are subject to distribution use of system charges at the rate for urban domestic customers (DG1) or the rate for rural domestic customers (DG2). Under the scheme, usage levels are assessed to ensure that payments are withheld in relation to low usage electricity accounts identified by the distribution system operator, to prevent the payment from being applied to vacant houses. Credits will not be withheld from accounts with a financial hardship meter, accounts held by registered as a vulnerable customer or accounts which have low usage due to the exporting of energy to the grid through microgeneration.

The Scheme allows for review by a customer’s electricity supplier, if contacted by a customer who has not received the payment. The customer can seek further review by the CRU, which has oversight of the Scheme, following the decision of the electricity supplier. Under the Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Act 2023, it is the function of the CRU to report to the Minister in relation to the performance by the distribution system operator and electricity suppliers of the respective functions conferred on them by or under the Act.