I have no statutory authority to direct ESB National Grid or the energy regulator with regard to the moratorium on new connection agreement offers. On 3 December last the Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, exercising its exclusive competence under section 34 of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, decided as an interim measure that the electricity network operators ESB and ESB networks were not required to offer new binding connection offers for wind farms before the end of 2003. This date was subsequently extended to 31 March this year.
Yesterday, CER advised the wind steering group that it will make a substantive decision before the end of this month on proposals received recently from ESB National Grid regarding new wind connection offer policy. The system operators have agreed that no offer to a wind generator will issue until the CER decision is delivered.
The CER was acting in response to concern on the part of the grid operator about system stability and reliability. It is not my function to judge whether CER decisions are necessary or proportional. I am more concerned to see that the issues which gave rise to the moratorium are tackled by the parties directly concerned. It should be noted that there is no block on new connections where offers are already in place.
