The Utility Regulator has issued its final decision paper on the ‘regulatory approach to energy supply competition in Northern Ireland’.
The paper provides the high level policy position in relation to the regulation of energy supply markets over the next two-three years. It discusses the original context and proposals set out in the associated consultation paper (issued in July 2011); the responses to that paper; and our decisions on the way forward.
The actions and projects resulting from this decision paper will be taken forward as necessary in 2012/13 and will be included in subsequent forward work plans. They include the following:
- Retain maximum retail tariff setting and price controls on dominant incumbent suppliers.
- No ‘automatic’ triggers to de-regulation.
- Undertake further more disaggregated analysis on retail market sub-sectors for monitoring purposes.
- Continue with quarterly retail market monitoring and gradually evolve scope of this monitoring work.
- Continue to explore options to improve the relationship between wholesale and retail markets.
- Deliver effective competition from a consumer’s perspective.
- Continue to work collaboratively on harmonisation projects in relation to all-island energy competition and market systems.
The consultation paper received five responses which can be viewed below.
Airtricity
Consumer Council
ESB
Phoenix Natural Gas Supply
Power NI