Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources to consider Energy Bill 2016

The Energy Bill provides for various amendments of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, the Gas Act 1976, the National Oil Reserves Agency Act 2007 and the Sustainable Energy Act 2002 and the Registration of Title Act 1964.

Its most significant aspects provide for:

•    The renaming of the Commission For Energy Regulation (CER) as the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU),
•    A wider definition of the existing Single Electricity Market (SEM), to facilitate the North/South regulators' integrated Single Electricity Market, or I-SEM, project,
•    Enhanced enforcement powers for the Commission for Energy Regulation, including powers to impose administrative sanctions,
•    Increases existing penalty levels on conviction from those already in the 2014 REMIT Statutory Instrument which relate to market abuse offences in the wholesale electricity and gas markets pursuant to the requirements of the EU's REMIT Regulation,
•    Amendment of existing legislation in respect of appointments to the Board of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland,
•    Increased flexibility in the administration of the Biofuels Obligations Scheme by the National Oil Reserves Agency,
•    Publication of an energy strategy statement by the Commission for Energy Regulation.

Committee Chair Hildegarde Naughton TD said: “This Bill is designed to revise and consolidate existing energy regulation. Tomorrow the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Denis Naughten TD will attend our meeting for the Committee Stage of the Bill where members will debate the Bill in greater detail and propose and discuss any amendments.”

This meeting will take place in Committee Room 1, Leinster House at 9am tomorrow, Thursday, 14th July.

Committee proceedings can be viewed live here.

Access the Bill here.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.

ENDS/