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Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment

Energy Billing and Metering – Changing Customer Behaviour

Consultation on Article 13 of the Energy End Use Efficiency and Energy Services Directive and Smart Metering in Northern Ireland and on Article 13 of Regulation Ec No. 1775/05

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) has published a consultation document proposing how Northern Ireland could implement more effective metering and billing provisions, in line with the Directive 2006/32/EC Energy End-Use Efficiency and Energy Services, and seeks views on the proposal to roll out smart meters over the next ten years.

The consultation sets out how the requirements of Article 13 of the Energy End Use Efficiency and Energy Services Directive might be met. It deals with frequency of accurate bills, provision of historical and benchmarked information about energy consumption, provision of energy efficiency information and signposting to sources of advice on energy efficiency. In addition, the consultation seeks views on the future of metering and potential policy options for smart metering in the domestic and business sectors.

A draft of the proposed Electricity and Gas Billing Regulations is included within the consultation document. The Regulations also include a proposed amendment to the Energy (Northern Ireland) Order 2003, to give effect to Article 13 of Regulation 1775/07 (which aims to set non–discriminatory rules for access conditions to natural gas transmission systems). In particular, Article 13 requires that EU member states establish provisions to penalise infringements of the Regulation and take all necessary measures to ensure that the penalties are implemented.

The Consultation can be downloaded from the DETI website:

www.energy.detini.gov.uk/consultations.

Copies of the document in accessible forms can be provided on request from, Sustainable Energy Branch, DETI, Netherleigh, Massey Avenue, Belfast, BT4 2JP

Telephone: 028 9052 9212

Email: seamus.fitzsimons@detini.gov.uk

The closing date for responses to this consultation is Tuesday 19th May 2009.

www.detini.gov.uk