Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-
“The recent Utility Regulator’s report on SONI is a wake up call to those asleep at the wheel while goverance of our electricity sector has passed under the control of the Dublin government through its company, Eirgrid.
“From time to time I have raised a warning flag over SONI, but now the Utility Regulator has confirmed:
- our grid is run from a control room in Dublin;
- the SONI board is dominated by Eirgrid staff and personnel;
- NI consumers through SONI are paying for improvements required in the Republic’s grid;
- that SONI is in breach of its licence terms by reason of not being independent
“It is time for action.
“We even have the Republic, through Eirgrid, claiming SONI’s Articles of Association cannot be altered without the consent of the Republic of Ireland’s Environment Minister and subjection to ‘Irish law’.
“This is a direct challenge to Gordon Lyons as Economy Minister. There is no point in being Economy minister if he can’t act robustly to sort out this mess and bring SONI under local control. In the rush to establish the Single Electricity Market then minister Nigel Dodds and later Arlene Foster clearly did not put in place barriers to this ROI takeover.
“To keep the public focus on this important issue I am this week tabling these Assembly Written Questions to Minister Lyons.”
To ask the Minister of the Economy a) why are Northern Ireland electricity consumers paying for items required in the Republic of Ireland grid, as found by the Utility Regulator and b) what does he propose to do about it.
To ask the Minister of the Economy how many members of the SONI Board are Eirgrid board members or Eirgrid employees and what proportion of board membership does this represent.
To ask the Minister of the Economy does he accept the recent findings of the Utility Regulator in respect of SONI and what he is in consequence proposing to do.
To ask the Minister of the Economy to set out the amount flowing from SONI to Eirgrid for services in each of the last 5 years.
To ask the Minister of the Economy to whom is SONi accountable.
To ask the Minister of the Economy can he advise how much SONI has spent on legal fees in seeking to challenge the Utility Regulator’s examination of SONI, its operation and its licence arrangements.
To ask the Minister of the Economy can the Articles of Association of SONI be altered without the consent of the Republic of Ireland Environment Minister and subjection to ‘Irish law’.
To ask the Minister of the Economy is he satisfied that the Utility Regulator has adequate powers to oversee and require change in respect of SONI.
To ask the Minister of the Economy has he the power to change the terms of the licence of SONI.
To ask the Minister of the Economy is it correct that Northern Ireland’s electricity grid is now run from a control room in Dublin.