Meter users ‘will not be cut off’

Those with energy meters installed in their homes will not be cut off, Energy and Communications Minister Pat Rabbitt said yesterday.

He was commenting on the Commission for Energy Regulation’s annual report for 2011 which found almost 50 people a day had their electricity supply cut off because they could not pay their bills.

Last year, 17,794 people — 49 a day — had their supply cut off and the figure is up 7% on the 16,679 cases in 2010 and almost 100% higher than the 9,709 disconnections in 2009.