Electricity Regulation Act 1999

Charges for connection to and use of transmission or distribution system.

35

35.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), within such time as the Commission may direct, the Board shall prepare a statement for the approval of the Commission setting out the basis upon which charges are imposed—

(a) for use of the transmission or distribution system of the Board, and

(b) for connection to the transmission or distribution system of the Board.

(2) The Commission may give directions to the Board from time to time in respect of the basis for charges for use of and connection to the transmission or distribution system of the Board.

(3) Notwithstanding the generality of subsection (2), directions given by the Commission under this section may provide for—

(a) the methods of charging to be included in the statement to be prepared by the Board,

(b) the form and the extent of the information to be provided by the Board to applicants,

(c) the form of charges and information about those charges to be included in the statement to be prepared by the Board,

(d) the procedure to be adopted in the submission by the Board of a statement of charges and the approval by the Commission of such statement, and

(e) the nature of information to be provided to applicants seeking connection to or use of the transmission or distribution systems and its presentation and transparency,

and the Board shall comply with directions given by the Commission under this section.

(4) A charge for connection to or for the use of the transmission or distribution system of the Board shall be calculated in accordance with directions given by the Commission under this section so as to enable the Board to recover—

(a) the appropriate proportion of the costs directly or indirectly incurred in carrying out any necessary works, and

(b) a reasonable rate of return on the capital represented by such costs.

(5) The Commission, solely, will determine what constitutes an “appropriate proportion” referred to in subsection (4)(a) and a “reasonable rate of return” referred to in subsection (4)(b).

F386[(6) Subsections (1) to (5) shall not apply in a case where the Agency is competent to fix and approve the terms and conditions or methodologies for the implementation of network codes and guidelines under Chapter VII of the 2019 Internal Electricity Market Regulation pursuant to Article 5(2) of the 2019 ACER Regulation because of their coordinated nature.

(7) The Commission shall publish the statement referred to in subsection (1).

(8) With a view to increasing transparency in the market and providing all interested parties with all necessary information and decisions or proposals for decisions concerning transmission and distribution tariffs, as referred in Article 60(3) of the 2019 Internal Electricity Market Directive, the Commission shall make publicly available the detailed methodology and underlying costs used for the calculation of the relevant network tariffs, while preserving the confidentiality of commercially sensitive information.]

Annotations

Amendments:

F386

Inserted (1.01.2021) by European Union (Internal Market in Electricity) (Regulatory Authority Matters) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 704 of 2020), reg. 7(5), in effect as per reg. 1(2).

Editorial Notes:

E116

New electricity producers, in discharging functions under section in regard to applications for connection to the transmission system from new producers of electricity from high efficiency combined heat and power generating stations and high efficiency cogeneration, required to endeavour to complete the grid connection application process within 24 months of a direction of the Commission by European Communities (Internal Market in Electricity) Regulations 2000 (S.I. No. 445 of 2000), regs. 8(10) and 22(8,) as inserted (29.09.2014) by European Union (Energy Efficiency) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 426 of 2014), reg. 34(c) and (f).