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Single Electricity - Market Consumers Come First

Thursday 18 January 2007

The Single Electricity Market can deliver benefits for consumers. This is the view of the Consumer Council today in response to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment’s(DETI’s) Consultation on Single Electricity Market Legislation (SEM – the all-island electricity market).

Wesley Henderson, Director of Energy at the Consumer Council said:

“The goal of the SEM must be to provide a truly open market that gives consumers a fair, affordable and secure electricity supply.  The Consumer Council has always underlined the need to ensure that the focus is squarely set on delivering benefits to consumers rather than simply creating a mechanism to fit private companies.  For that reason we fully support the decision to make the protection of the interests of consumers the principal objective of the key decision-takers (DETI, Ofreg – the NI regulatory body - and the new SEM Committee).”

The Consumer Council believes that the joint framework for an all island electricity market agreed between Ofreg and CER (the ROI regulatory body) can work effectively for all consumers here.  The Consumer Council has repeatedly called for openness, transparency and rigorous analysis in order to provide assurances to consumers on the benefits of the SEM.  This has been delivered through the cost benefit/analysis for consumers and we welcome the openness shown by both DETI and Ofreg in setting out all of the information for public scrutiny.

Turning to the subject of possible market dominance by one or two providers, Wesley Henderson continued:

“The Consumer Council recognises and commends the range of steps taken by Ofreg and CER to guard against market dominance.  We note in particular Minister Maria Eagle MP’s reference yesterday to the measures to be taken to cut significantly ESB’s market share in power generation.

“Consumers here can also be reassured that SEM legislation will not have any effect on the existing statutory roles of the Consumer Council.  The powers of the Consumer Council are increasingly important in a single electricity market to ensure that policies and actions can be tracked and interventions made, where appropriate, on behalf of electricity consumers.   We will continue to do this now and for the future.”

  1. Consumer Council media contact: Susie Brown, telephone, 028 9067 4807 or e-mail, sbrown@consumercouncil.org.uk
  2. The Consumer Council is an independent consumer organisation, working to bring about change to benefit Northern Ireland’s consumers. The Council campaigns for high standards of service and protection and a fair deal for all. It also carries out research, gives advice and publishes reports and other publications. It deals with individual complaints about electricity, natural gas, coal and passenger transport.

For more information, visit our website at www.consumercouncil.org.uk

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