Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 June 2023
101. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department has engaged with energy providers to ensure that all electricity customers with smart meters, and regardless of tariff plan, are given access to their real-time data; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28748/23]
View answerA smart meter has the capability to collect data on electricity use every 30 minutes. Until recently, to have access to their data, customers needed to switch to a Time of Use tariff or give approval to their supplier to request this functionality be activated by ESB Networks.
However, since November 2022, customers have been able to start accessing their smart meter data directly from ESB Networks, following the launch of ESBN’s Customer Portal. As of May 2023, nearly all of the over 1.3 million smart meters installed have been fully enabled to provide this functionality. This now allows smart meter customers to register for online independent access to their electricity consumption data, to better understand their electricity demand profile and be able to assess opportunities to reduce their use, shift consumption to off-peak periods, and compare tariff options from other Suppliers. This will empower consumers to reduce their carbon footprint and potentially save them money on their bills.
The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) are also currently developing a Smart Meter Data Access Code, which will establish the parameters for which 3rd party entities may request access to smart meter data and what specific data they will be allowed to access. It will also define the purposes for which customers’ smart meter data can be used by ESB Networks in its role as the Distribution System Operator (DSO), by energy suppliers who are providing a service to customers, by other parties such as the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI) and the Central Statistics Office (CSO) for research purposes, and other actors in the energy market. This will include aggregators and demand side response providers. The intention is for the Code to establish a basis for market participants, including the DSO, to use meter data for network planning, real time grid management and information provision purposes.
An update position on the Data Access Code is expected to be published by CRU shortly, with the final decision paper on the Data Access Code expected to be published by CRU in Q3 2023.
