Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2024
126. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to outline the role he has in ensuring with Eirgrid that grid infrastructure investment is sufficient to support a green transition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21622/24]
View answerResponsibility 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 myself as Minister.
The CRU is responsible for, inter alia, the economic regulation of electricity system operators ESB Networks, distribution, and Eirgrid, transmission. The cost of building, safely operating and maintaining the electricity system is recovered by system operators through charges on customers, all of which is overseen and agreed with the CRU. System operator spending is agreed with the CRU in five-year cycles, referred to as Price Reviews.
Price Review 5, which spans the period 2021-2025, saw the CRU sanction a €4 billion investment in the electricity grid, including €1.2 billion in the Transmission System. Work has commenced on Price Review 6 which will see the CRU sanction the investment in the grid to 2030. While a decision is not expected until Q3 2025, the CRU have recently published their strategy paper to inform and seek comments on their approach to deciding the funding for the period and the Deputy may wish to engage with this process which is open until 21st May.
As Minister I do not have a role in the delivery of electricity infrastructure on the ground and this is in line with the 2012 Government Policy Statement on the Strategic Importance of Transmission and Other Energy Infrastructure. Notwithstanding this, Government works in conjunction with the CRU, Eirgrid and ESBN towards improving Ireland’s electricity infrastructure in line with Government policies and Climate Action Plans. In 2023 and in accordance with Action EL/23/5 of CAP 23, Eirgrid published an update to Shaping our Electricity Future, their roadmap for the transmission grid out to 2030 in order to deliver on the renewable energy targets.
