Ireland has 40% open market for electricity

- Dermot Ahern TD, Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, recently announced that an additional 12,000 customers are free to shop around for their electricity.

The 12,000 new eligible customers mainly represent the larger industrial and commercial non-domestic users of electricity. They can now source their electricity needs in the open market. This follows the further liberalisation of the market.

Up to now 40% of the market - representing 1,600 of the biggest Consumers of electricity - was open to competition. In addition, all customers can currently choose to have their electricity supplied from any licensed “green” or combined heat and power supplier. This further step in line with EU Directive requirements, brings the level of market opening to 56%. This will be increased to 100% opening in February, 2005.

Minister Ahern said: 'Opening of the electricity market is a key priority of this Government. I am pleased to announce this major breakthrough. Much has been achieved since the partial opening of the market in February 2000, and more remains to be done to bring about a fully open and competitive electricity market which will help underpin the future competitiveness of the Irish economy.'

'In effect, many small and medium-sized businesses from tomorrow are now eligible to contract for their electricity supplies from licensed electricity suppliers other than ESB.'

'This latest opening represents nearly a seven-fold increase in the target customer base for Independent players in the market. Further liberalisation should act as an incentive to new market entrants and presents existing operators with an important opportunity to grow their market share.'

'Ireland is well advanced in market opening with our full liberalisation date of February, 2005, being an advance of over two years on the timetable set down by the EU.'