Energy drives our economy. Whether it is your commute to work, the flick of a switch, the hum of machinery or a warming radiator, a vast multi-billion euro infrastructural network delivers energy to each of us daily. While the energy sector is a significant employer and investor it is firstly a service provider to the wider economy.
Government energy policy therefore has a significant impact on how SSE goes about its business. It sets out a road map that impacts the business decisions we make.
In our submission today to the Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources’ (DCENR) Energy Policy Green Paper consultation we have highlighted three main themes in our response:
- Given energy’s role as a driver of the overall economy we are conscious of the impact of energy prices and are doing our very best to support our customers. As public polices can add cost to customers’ bills we are calling on the Government to always critically evaluate the ‘value versus cost’ of policies and the means by which costs are equitably recovered. SSE has also noted a trend whereby energy, social, environmental, and enterprise policy costs are pushed to energy suppliers (for example, energy efficiency obligations). However, the increasing costs associated with public policy are not transparent to consumers and in our view are more progressively and appropriately recovered through the Exchequer than via customers’ energy bills.
- In support of EU climate and energy targets we highlight the electricity sector’s continuing success at decarbonising power generation and how it can be further utilised in other sectors including transport and heating. For electricity to fulfil its decarbonisation potential policy makers must be realistically ambitious regarding the electricity system’s technical operational capability; the market must provide a fair return through energy, capacity and system service revenue streams; and finally it requires policies that activate demand side response – enabling customers to play their part in managing the energy system of the future.
- SSE is wholly supportive of the Green Paper’s focus on empowering customers and has delivered many innovations in support of our customers. These includes our sector-leading and award-winning digital service; leading the market in helping customers better manage their bills; community engagement, sponsorship and community volunteering; and directing our €1million community investment fund toward energy efficiency. However, we do note that while empowerment is supported through consumer access to information, national leadership is also critical for the achievement of public policy particularly the delivery of necessary physical infrastructure.
To read our full submission to the consultation on the Energy Policy Green Paper please click here. In the weeks ahead we look forward to engaging with Energy Minister Alex White T.D. and his colleagues at the Department in pursuit of public policies that support our focus on delivering best value and service to our customers.