Ministers meet to discuss cross-border energy market

Enterprise Minister, Ian Pearson has met his Irish counterpart, Dermot Ahern to review progress towards an all-island energy market.

The meeting addressed at number of issues including that of co-operation in the energy sector between the two administrations over the last number of years.

This has taken place in the context of the evolution of the European single market for electricity and gas. As that market will be put in place by 2007, maintaining progress towards an all-island energy market was described as more important than ever.

Mr Pearson said: "An integrated electricity market requires common transmission planning and operation along with a co-ordinated wholesale market. This would require much closer integration of the two current Transmission System Operators.

"Both myself and Minister Ahern agree that policy developments in both jurisdictions need to be progressed in ways which did not prejudice the goal of improved economic and energy supply benefits for both parts of the island."

In particular, the Ministers agreed that the activities of the Regulatory Authorities should be co-ordinated and eventually integrated to the optimum extent. In the meantime, the Regulatory Authorities are invited to define activities, which could readily be better co-ordinated and, to the extent necessary, adopt a phased approach to the implementation of this co-ordination.

Mr Pearson concluded by saying that an integrated and more competitive all-island energy market could provide substantial economic and social benefits, notably in the areas of investment planning, pricing and reliability of supply.

(MB)