I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 140 together.
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is responsible for overseeing the National Smart Metering Programme (NSMP), with ESB Networks (ESBN) delivering the electricity meter rollout on the ground. The first phase of the NSMP culminated in the activation of Smart Metering services in February 2021, which in turn enabled Energy suppliers to start offering Time-of-use (ToU) tariffs and smart services plans. Prior to this, smart tariffs were not available to Irish households.
The CRU monitors the uptake of smart tariffs across the retail electricity market and began collecting data from Energy Supply companies regarding ToU tariff uptake from mid-2022. CRU does not hold county-level data for smart services uptake.
From this data, CRU have provided the following year end figures, with the latest data accounting for the period to the end of 2023:
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
Number of Households with smart meters
|
239,000
|
1,091,959
|
1,567,957
|
Number of customers on a ToU tariff
|
No end of year data available
|
70,663
|
151,554
|
Number of customers on smart services (MCC12/16)
|
43,930
|
143,034
|
298,098
|
Percentage of smart meter customers withToU tariffs
|
No end of year data available
|
6.5%
|
9.7%
|
Percentage of smart meter customers with smart services (MCC12/16)
|
18.4%
|
13.1%
|
19%
|
As the rollout of the NSMP is co-ordinated by CRU and ESBN, my Department does not maintain oversight of the day-to-day operations of Smart Metering. In terms of more detailed area specific information on the National Smart Metering Programme, the CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.