Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 November 2018
832. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the funds raised through the public service obligation levy on electricity customers for the period October 2017 to September 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45290/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra833. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the funds provided for the generation of electricity from peat within the 2017-2018 public service obligation levy for electricity customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45291/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 832 and 833 together.
The PSO levy has been in place since 2001, and consists of a set of support schemes designed to facilitate national electricity policy objectives for renewables, indigenous fuels and security of supply.
The PSO levy is a charge on all electricity customers without exception. The legal basis for the levy and its method of calculation are set out in regulations made under the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 (S.I. 217 of 2002), under which Ireland’s independent energy regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), is assigned responsibility for calculating the PSO levy each year.
The PSO levy calculated by the CRU for 2017-18 was €471.9 million. This included an allocation of €375.7 million for renewables generation and €117.8 million for peat generation. This calculation by the CRU resulted in monthly charges of €7.69 for household customers, €26.55 for small and medium sized businesses, and €3.33/kVA for large energy users in 2017-18.
The PSO levy calculated by the CRU for the period October 2018 to September 2019 is €209.19 million. This amounts to a substantial decrease of €262.71 million (56%) on the 2017-18 levy of €471.9 million, and includes an allocation of €65.52 million for peat generators.
