Minister’s response to Energy Inquiry report published

Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, has published his written response to the report of the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Assembly Committee on its Energy Inquiry.

The report covers 30 separate energy issues grouped within five themes of electricity costs, improving energy efficiency, renewable energy, gas network extensions and an all-island energy market, and makes 45 recommendations.

A majority of the recommendations fall directly to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) for response, with the remainder falling either directly to a number of other Departments, namely, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Finance and Personnel, the Department for Social Development, the Department of the Environment or OFREG, or to combinations of these Departments and DETI.

Commenting on the report, Sir Reg said: “As reflected in the response, implementation of a number of the recommendations contained in the report is already in hand, or proposed.

“I particularly welcome the Committee’s support for the proposed revision of the electricity and gas consumer protection arrangements, the provision of gas pipelines to the North West and South East of Northern Ireland, the putting in place of a system of uniform tariffs for gas conveyance (known as ‘postalisation’) and the progressive development of an all-island energy market in a European context.

“The report has already been of vital assistance in identifying the priority energy items requiring legislation contained in the Energy Bill which I published for consultation on 20 June along with draft Equality and Regulatory Impact Assessments on the contents of the Bill. It will also be a key factor in the continuing development of a new energy market strategy for Northern Ireland which I propose to publish, for consultation, later this year."

The Minister concluded by saying he looked forward to working closely with the Committee both in progressing the Energy Bill through its Assembly stages and the complementary development of the new energy strategy. He said the objective of these exercises was to ensure a "secure, diverse, competitive and efficient energy market in Northern Ireland", with particular emphasis on creating the conditions for sustainable energy price reductions which would benefit all consumers.

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