Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 May 2023
149. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the measures that were proposed and adopted to reduce the total monthly gross electricity consumption by 10 %, per Article 3 of Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices. [21731/23]
View answer150. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the measures that were proposed and adopted to reduce the gross electricity consumption during the identified peak hours by 5% per Article 4 of Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices. [21732/23]
View answer151. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will publish the written inputs of the Government to the Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022. [21733/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 149 to 151, inclusive, together.
Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices was agreed at the Council of Energy Ministers on 30 September 2022 and came into effect on 8 October 2022.
The Council Regulation sets out two obligations on Member States to achieve reductions in electricity demand consumption, as follows:
1. To endeavour to reduce overall electricity consumption in the period November 2022 to March 2023 by 10% (compared to the average of the previous five years over the same period) and,
2. To reduce peak electricity consumption in the period December 2022 to March 2023 by 5% (compared to forecasted consumption). This target is mandatory.
Measures identified and implemented for these targets included a conservation voltage reduction scheme, ESB’s ‘Beat the Peak’ pilot schemes, a public sector energy efficiency scheme, the introduction of peak tariffs by CRU and a nationwide ‘Reduce Your Use’ information campaign.
The Department has to date reported to the Commission twice regarding the work undertaken in pursuance of this target, as required under the regulation. The Department will, in the near future, publish on Gov.ie the measures pursued in order to comply with this aspect of the regulation along with recent data on electricity demand.
