Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
211. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of smart electricity meters installed; the geographic distribution of the smart meters installed; and the amount of funding that has been spent on the installation of smart meters. [27836/23]
View answerThe National Smart Metering Programme will roll out and install 2.4 million meters by 2024 and in the process make available new products and services to energy consumers. It is co-ordinated by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) with ESB Networks (ESBN) delivering the electricity meter rollout.
The meter rollout is taking place on a phased basis, with around 40,000 meters installed monthly. The total number of smart meters installed at present is just over 1.3 million. The focus to date is on, replacing single phase, 24 hour register meters. The replacement of Day/Night meters and 24 hour register 3 phase meters begins in Q4, 2023.
The replacements started in five planner groups at the end of 2019 with the last planner group starting in Feb 2023 so that smart exchanges are now happening nationally. The following is the geographic spread based on ESB Networks Planner Groups:
|
Planner Group |
Total MPRN |
Installed |
% Installed |
|
ARKLOW |
48,104 |
30,331 |
63% |
|
ATHLONE |
54,350 |
18,567 |
34% |
|
BALLINA |
36,190 |
12,395 |
34% |
|
BANDON |
46,420 |
32,479 |
70% |
|
CASTLEBAR |
37,455 |
9,792 |
26% |
|
CAVAN |
67,528 |
29,274 |
43% |
|
CLONMEL |
44,383 |
19,288 |
43% |
|
CORK |
121,462 |
86,617 |
71% |
|
DROGHEDA |
59,916 |
44,560 |
74% |
|
DUBLIN CENTRAL |
239,015 |
100,350 |
42% |
|
DUBLIN NORTH |
299,863 |
170,830 |
57% |
|
DUBLIN SOUTH |
208,243 |
147,665 |
71% |
|
DUNDALK |
44,549 |
32,065 |
72% |
|
DUNMANWAY |
31,894 |
17,992 |
56% |
|
ENNIS |
53,860 |
35,469 |
66% |
|
ENNISCORTHY |
65,849 |
36,620 |
56% |
|
FERMOY |
60,359 |
39,974 |
66% |
|
GALWAY |
70,849 |
29,704 |
42% |
|
KILKENNY |
56,559 |
37,039 |
65% |
|
KILLARNEY |
49,756 |
30,718 |
62% |
|
KILLYBEGS |
38,141 |
13,492 |
35% |
|
LETTERKENNY |
59,805 |
23,753 |
40% |
|
LIMERICK |
61,729 |
39,849 |
65% |
|
LONGFORD |
41,496 |
6,151 |
15% |
|
MULLINGAR |
51,750 |
29,384 |
57% |
|
NEWCASTLEWEST |
39,222 |
25,190 |
64% |
|
PORTLAOISE |
54,398 |
39,253 |
72% |
|
ROSCREA |
43,800 |
13,532 |
31% |
|
SLIGO |
62,248 |
40,521 |
65% |
|
TIPPERARY |
40,653 |
18,483 |
45% |
|
TRALEE |
48,854 |
23,901 |
49% |
|
TUAM |
42,838 |
9,865 |
23% |
|
TULLAMORE |
54,693 |
36,278 |
66% |
|
WATERFORD |
55,947 |
32,034 |
57% |
|
TOTAL |
2,392,178 |
1,313,415 |
55% |
The investment spend to date totals €527m. This will facilitate the installation of up to 2.4m smart meters, introduction of Time of Use tariffs, the facilitation of interval data availability to all smart meter customers, Smart Pay As You Go services and near real time data in the home.
With this volume of smart meters already installed Ireland has now achieved a critical mass. The next step is to ensure that we maximise the benefits of this critical public infrastructure for consumers and for the resilience of our energy system as we accelerate its decarbonisation.
As the rollout of the National Smart Metering Programme is co-ordinated by CRU and the ESBN, my Department does not maintain oversight on the day-to-day of Smart Metering. In terms of more detailed area specific information on the National Smart Metering Programme, CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.
