Energia charges ahead in competitive electricity supply

Energia, the independent electricity supply company in Ireland, has announced that it is to serve the electrical energy needs of 40 per cent of Irish companies eligible to freely choose their power provider in the year ahead.

The announcement follows the auction of available electricity capacity by the Commission for Electricity Regulation (CER) in which Energia purchased its maximum possible allocation of 240 MW in capacity for onward sale to approximately 120 large enterprises throughout Ireland.

Congratulating the Energia Sales and Trading teams, Energia Managing Director Allister McQuoid said the acquisition of such a significant volume of electricity capacity demonstrated the company’s commitment to the competitive market and their intention to play a central role.

He added: "Energia has negotiated competitive contracts with leading Irish companies and is now the largest independent supplier of electricity to the competitive market throughout Ireland. We are firmly committed to the creation of an open and competitive Irish energy market which will deliver long term benefits to customers."

Gary Ryan, Energia's Director of Sales and Marketing for the Republic of Ireland confirmed that interest in Energia's market offering was so great that business had to be turned away in order to comply with current regulations.

Some 400 companies, around 30 per cent of the total electricity market, can now choose their energy provider. In Northern Ireland the competitive market extends to 35 per cent of the market, around 750 customers.

The competitive marketplace is expected to open to 40 per cent of Irish business customers in February 2002 when customers with smaller power requirements will become eligible to participate in the deregulation process, extending the market to about 1,600 customers.

A member of the Viridian Group, Energia is already the market leader in the competitive market in Northern Ireland, supplying 180 MW of electricity to over 330 large businesses in Northern Ireland. (SP)