Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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209. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the relevant legislation which dictates the process for connections; if there is one stream only or are their separate streams in the “queue” for a connection; his views on allocating connections on a first come, first served basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55349/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is an independent regulator, accountable to a Committee of the Oireachtas and not to me as Minister. The CRU was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 and subsequent legislation. Section 34 of the 1999 Act confers upon the CRU regulatory powers in respect of the terms for connecting to and using the national electricity transmission and distribution systems.

The management of, and matters related to connections, are functions which are assigned to the respective Distribution and Transmission System Operators, ESB Networks and EirGrid, who are accountable to the CRU and are also independent of me as Minister in the exercise of their respective functions. The pathway to connection to the electricity grid is dependent on the nature and scale of the project seeking connection and whether it is a demand or generation customer. For instance, onshore generators and storage technologies apply to the electricity system operators, EirGrid and ESB Networks, to connect to the electricity grid under rules set out in the new Electricity Connections Policy – Generation & System Services (ECP GSS). One of the key differences to the new ECP-GSS is the inclusion of six-monthly, rather than 12-monthly, application deadlines. The policy also provides for the parallel processing of both planning and grid permits for renewable projects to speed up overall permitting timelines. The ECP GSS policy also sets out the connection process for mini-generation, small-scale generation, and renewable energy communities.

Details of the various other connection polices, including policies for the connection of data centres, interconnectors and offshore renewable electricity connections are set out on the CRU website. The management of, and matters related to, domestic connections to the electricity grid are matters for ESB Networks. Connection applications are dealt with on sequential first come first served basis. Information on the pathway to apply for a domestic connection is set out on the ESB Networks website. ESB Networks and CRU have respective contact email address for Deputies should they wish to seek clarification on the issues set out above (oireachtas@esb.ie, oireachtas@cru.ie).