Vol. 536 No. 2
163 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her attention has been drawn to the likelihood that power generating capacity is not keeping pace with demand for electricity; her views on the admission by ESB personnel that the system was already stretched to full capacity; if she will commission a review of energy generating capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14085/01]
164 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will outline the role of her Department in the context of monitoring the supply of power to domestic and industrial users; the extent to which her Department is in contact with the ESB and Eirgrid in relation to power failures and blackouts; the extent of the information available to her in this regard in framing policy for future power generation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14086/01]
166 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has had recent contact with the ESB, Eirgrid and the Commission for Electricity Regulation regarding concerns regarding the adequacy of power supplies; the extent of the contact between her Department and these bodies; if she will set up a committee to monitor and address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14088/01]
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 163, 164 and 166 together.
The Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, lays an overall duty on the Commission for Electricity Regulation, in carrying out its duties, to have regard to the need to promote the continuity, security and quality of supplies of electricity. The Act also gives the commission the power to direct and approve the preparation of a rolling annual forecast of generating capacity for the information of the industry. A forecast of this nature entitled Generation Adequacy Statement was published by Eirgrid on 7 May 2001 for the period 2001 to 2007.
The provision of electricity to large users, currently using above 4 GWH per annum, is a liberalised activity and a matter for market players including ESB. At the operational level, the actual provision of electricity supply to individual customers is a day-to-day matter for ESB and Eirgrid and not one in which I have a function.
165 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the action taken by her Department arising from the consultancy report which highlighted that an inadequate supply of power was available to enable web farms to set up here; if her attention has been drawn to industry concerns regarding the adequacy of power in certain parts of the country, which may prohibit the establishment of new industries in these regions; the policy proposals she has to ensure adequacy of power supplies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14087/01]
The objective in commissioning the report was to quantify and assess the impact of investment in co-location, complex web hosting, web farming, advanced data processing and similar e-commerce related facilities concerning energy demand and supply and to advise on the appropriate investment, regulatory and legislative measures needed to ensure that Ireland remained competitive in attracting and retaining this type of investment.
The report recommended, inter alia, a full deregulation of the CHP market. I have done this through section 9(a)(ii) of the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act, 2001.
The report has been circulated to all the relevant Government Departments and the Commission for Electricity Regulation and has been published on my Department's website, www.dpe.ie. It represents a useful additional contribution to evolving policy in the areas of energy provision and telecommunications.
