The Utility Regulator welcomes the start of competition in the domestic electricity market as Airtricity confirms that it will begin supplying electricity to domestic consumers from 1 June 2010.
Iain Osborne, Chief Executive of the Utility Regulator said,
“We welcome Airtricity’s entry into the domestic electricity market. Consumers have told us that they want a choice of electricity supplier and we have worked vigorously with potential suppliers to make this happen.
“As a regulator, we will carry on with our work to protect the interests of consumers by continuing to control the prices of NIE Energy Supply and ensuring all suppliers provide a quality standard of service.
“Airtricity’s entry into the market shows the growing confidence in the Northern Ireland electricity industry. The Single Electricity Market has played a role in achieving this by creating much improved arrangements for the trading of electricity, and providing a stronger basis for attracting new entrants into the electricity retail market.
“This is good news for consumers and also Northern Ireland. Throughout this process we have worked closely with the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland, NIE and Airtricity to ensure that the interests of consumers remained a priority at all times.”
The domestic market will now take time to develop, but in order to allow consumers to start benefiting from competition as soon as possible, the Utility Regulator has allowed Airtricity to enter the market under a ‘phased in’ approach. This means they will begin by offering supply to credit customers, and by April 2011 this will be extended to keypad/pre-payment customers.
The Utility Regulator is currently working with suppliers and industry to introduce an unlimited switching system, but in the interim, the current system will allow 6,000 consumers to switch per month.
The domestic electricity market was ‘opened’ to competition in 2007. Since then the Utility Regulator has worked with potential suppliers to encourage entry into the market and remove any barriers.
Click here for a consumer question and answer leaflet.
ENDS
For further information, contact Adele Boyle on 028 9031 6343 or 07794 965922.
Notes to Editors
• The Utility Regulator (Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation) is the independent non-Ministerial Government Department responsible for regulating the electricity and gas industries and water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland.
• The project to allow unlimited consumer switching is due to complete in early 2012.
• The non-domestic electricity market opened to competition in 1999 and currently there are five suppliers – Airtricity, Energia, ESB Independent Energy, firmus energy and NIE Energy.
• Click here for a Media Q&A