Sparks fly as ESB clashes with NIE

A war of words broke out today between Northern Ireland Electricity and the ESB over the supply of cheaper electricity to business customers in the North through the opening up of the market to competition.

ESB Independent Energy accused NIE of delaying a switch-over by customers who want to buy the ESB electricity at a lower price.

It claimed that as a result, 500 businesses were losing out on energy savings. NIE branded the accusation “nonsense”.

Sean O’Loughlin, ESBIE Northern Ireland supply manager, said customers who chose to switch from NIE to his company often required an adjustment to their meter and that was done by NIE.

He said they were not putting enough resources in place to handle the number of customers who wanted to switch.

“We have been working with the Electricity Regulator and with NIE over the past number of months but as yet no satisfactory solution has been offered,” he said.

Mr O’Loughlin added: “As it stands, we are in a situation where upwards of 500 business customers, who have signed over to ESBIE, are not only prevented by NIE practices from changing supplier, but must continue to pay higher electricity charges to NIE than they would otherwise be paying to ESBIE.”

Following the intervention of the Regulator, NIE had agreed to raise the limit on installations in January and again in March next year, but this still fell far short of what was required, said ESB.

NIE estimated the existing backlog would not be cleared before August next year and, given that ESB would continue to sign new customers – currently 400 a month – the situation was “wholly unacceptable” on the eve of the full business market opening, said Mr O’Loughlin.

ESBIE had brought the situation to the attention of both the North's General Consumer Council and the Northern Ireland Federation of Small Businesses he said.

However Robin Greer, spokesman for NIE dismissed the accusations.

“This is nonsense. NIE is absolutely on top of its obligations in facilitating the registration of eligible customers,” he said.