Eglinton man shocked as energy disagreement leaves him short

Tom Craig from Eglinton generates electricity at his own property on Carmoney Road in the village.

But a technical infrastructure shortfall, not of his making, means he’s not getting his full dues in terms of export payments.

Mr Craig is one of many people throughout Londonderry and across Northern Ireland who have installed small scale solar photovoltaic (PV), wind, hydro, micro-CHP or anaerobic digestion systems on their own properties as greener ways of generating energy, cutting bills and making a few pounds in the process.

In this case it’s solar panels and Mr Craig has a contract with the private energy supplier, Action Renewables, to generate electricity, some of which ultimately becomes surplus and is exported to the grid.

What normally happens is that a supplier pays a client, such as Mr Craig, a ‘generation tariff’ for any electricity generated and an ‘export tariff’ for any surplus exported to the grid.

However, a difference of opinion between Action Renewables and Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) - the once public now private company that owns the local electricity network of lines, cables, substations and meters - has left Mr Craig out-of-pocket.

According to a letter sent by Action Renewables to the Utility Regulator just over a fortnight ago, which has been seen by the Sentinel lots of small scale producers are complaining about this problem.

The letter, penned by an Action Renewables Project Manager, Bastian Abicht, argues that there have been “a large number of complaints from small scale PV owners throughout Northern Ireland, who currently do not receive their export payments for the electricity that they generate.”

Mr Abicht pins the problem down to the absence of ‘half-hourly meters’ at the homes or properties of people like Mr Craig.

“The reason for this,” he writes, “is that, NIE Ltd. ‘cannot assign’ the export to any electricity supply company in Northern Ireland. This situation has evolved because NIE did not install half-hourly meters for these clients.”

The Sentinel, however, contacted NIE, which for its part, says it doesn’t install meters for free.

“NIE is not required to install half-hourly meters for domestic properties. However, should a customer wish to pay the additional cost for a half hourly meter, we will install these to facilitate the allocation of exported electricity.

“Current arrangements for the export and payment of generation for those customers on non half hourly meters lie between customers and suppliers.

“NIE will continue to work with electricity suppliers to ensure a better understanding and a more streamlined process.”

Mr Craig told the Sentinel he’s been very pleased with the solar panels since he installed them a few years ago but that he’s frustrated by the current situation.

“Make it an even playing field,” he told the paper. “Whichever energy company is involved they should be able to pay out regardless.”

In his letter to the regulator, Mr Abicht states: “Speaking personally from my experience in Germany, I find it quite surprising that this situation has managed to come about in Northern Ireland and I hope that there will be a resolution that is not detrimental financially to any client involved.

He says Action Renewables is lobbying the Utility Regulator, NIE, Stormont MLAs, the Enterprise, Trade and Investment (ETI) Committee, installers and clients to insist strongly on a resolution before April 1, 2015.”

Mr Abicht also points out that a large number of private households have informed Action Renewables of the problem and that he would like to inform the Northern Irish Utility Regulator about the situation as a result.