The Ulster Unionist Party are bringing a motion for debate at the Assembly today calling for a focus to be brought on the issue of energy pricing and security of supply for electricity.

Economy spokesperson Steve Aiken MLA said:

“Energy is potentially the most important issue for the Executive to deal with over the next six months.  In recent years we have had numerous enquiries and reports with recommendations made to the Executive.  The issues have been clearly defined: price volatility, high costs for large industrial users, the renewable heat debacle, threats to generation capacity within Northern Ireland, and lack of progress on cross border interconnection to create the Integrated Single Energy Market (I-SEM).

“Energy experts have been warning for some time that Northern Ireland is heading for a security of supply crisis. As the general manager of the transmission network (SONI) said recently, “Northern Ireland is facing an energy supply crisis, as old conventional fossil fuel generators retire... over the next five years we will be at a point where we are in an energy generation deficit. As the system operator, I cannot be confident that we would be able to keep the lights on.”

“Six months after taking office it is about time the Economy Minister gave us some indication what his energy policy actually is.  We had an expert panel report with 24 recommendations focusing on reducing business energy costs in March.  We are still waiting for an official response from the Executive.  In the wake of the sudden end of the support scheme for onshore wind (NIRO) and the stop to the scandal plagued Renewable Heat Initiative (RHI) there is also a complete vacuum in renewable energy policy.  Again these issues need to be debated.  That is why we are bringing our energy motion to the Assembly.”

ENDS

Text of Motion: Energy Affordability and Security

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes with concern that electricity prices for non-domestic large energy users are almost 60 per cent higher than the EU-15 median; further notes the policy vacuum which exists in the Department for the Economy regarding renewable energy following the closure of the Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation and the collapse of the Renewable Heat Incentive; calls on the Minister for the Economy to clarify the position on future subsidy arrangements for all forms of energy generation, in the context of decarbonisation and mitigating the effects of rising costs; and further calls for long-term energy security and affordability to be given a much higher priority in the emerging Programme for Government 2016-21.