Clause 26
Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill
5:30 pm
Sammy Wilson (East Antrim, DUP)
I have a couple of points relating to the purposes of the financial assistance and the aims listed in subsection (2) of the clause. Those aims are admirable, but the existence of a single energy market poses a particular threat. The biggest player in that market will be the Electricity Supply Board—the electricity generating body from the Irish Republic. Contrary to the current situation in Northern Ireland, it will be not only a generator, but a supplier, transmitter and distributor, and it will control at least half the market. Given that the electricity that goes into the pool will be based on half-hour transmissions, such a large supplier will have the potential to distort the price to its own advantage, which is particularly worrying.
What steps will be taken during the negotiations to deal with that issue? Attention must be paid to it to ensure that one large player, which will not only supply the pool, but buy from it, does not distort the market. What steps will be taken to ensure that that does not happen? The danger is that ESB could drive out some of the smaller generators by influencing the price. As the hon. Member for Belfast, South said, the energy market on the whole island—in Northern Ireland and in the Irish Republic—is quite isolated. Some power can be brought in through the interconnector from Scotland, but by and large the island is quite isolated, so the loss of one generator could greatly distort the market and greatly increase price volatility. That is one of the reasons why I said at the start that although in theory a single energy market would be welcome—