Oireachtas Committee To Discuss Electricity Disconnections

Business & Finance - Consumer

Thursday, 23 September 2010 12:23

Written by Noel Cotter

Following a doubling in the rate of electricity disconnections in the four months up to July and a warning today by Bord Gáis of a “social recession,” the Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has agreed to call Bord Gáis, ESB, Airtricty  and the Commission for Energy Regulation to a meeting of the Committee.
The Committee says it has taken this action following concerns that Committee members expressed regarding the high disconnection rate in recent months, the cost of reconnection and the increase in electricity prices.

Committee Chairman, MJ Nolan TD said; “It has been revealed that almost 2,500 households a month, some 80 a day, are having their electricity disconnected after failing to pay their bills. In total, as of the beginning of September, 10,678 customers had been disconnected, more than in the whole of 2009.

We heard today from the Chief Executive of Bord Gáis of a “social recession” sweeping across Ireland. He has said that Bord Gáis is introducing a range of payment plans every five minutes for customers across the country who have fallen into arrears.

There is also concern among the Committee members that the price for reconnecting electricity is too high and can be prohibitively expensive for some. We expect the electricity suppliers and the regulator to assent to our request to attend so the Committee can put these issues to them and find out how they intend to handle this worrying trend.”