NISEP discussion paper 19 August 2019
| Year | 2019 |
| Published date | 19 August 2019 |
| Energy Sector | Corporate |
Review of the Northern
Ireland Sustainable Energy
Programme (NISEP) &
Energy Efficiency Provision
Discussion Paper
August 2019
About the Utility Regulator
The Utility Regulator is the independent non-ministerial government department responsible
for regulating Northern Ireland’s electricity, gas, water and sewerage industries, to promote
the short and long-term interests of consumers.
We are not a policy-making department of government, but we make sure that the energy and
water utility industries in Northern Ireland are regulated and developed within ministerial policy
as set out in our statutory duties.
We are governed by a Board of Directors and are accountable to the Northern Ireland
Assembly through financial and annual reporting obligations.
We are based at Queens House in the centre of Belfast. The Chief Executive leads a
management team of directors representing each of the key functional areas in the
organisation: Corporate Affairs, Markets and Networks. The staff team includes economists,
engineers, accountants, utility specialists, legal advisors and administration professionals.
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Abstract
Audience
Consumer impact
The Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme (NISEP), formerly the Energy Efficiency
Levy, has provided funding for energy efficiency schemes on an annual basis since 1997/98.
This is funded through a charge applied to every unit of electricity (known as a Public Service
Obligation, PSO).
The Utility Regulator’s forward work plan for the year 2018-19 contained a commitment to
review NISEP. In order to make the review as comprehensive as possible, the UR worked
with partners in the Department for the Economy (DfE) and The Consumer Council (CCNI) to
conduct a call for evidence and a research phase which included focus groups across
Northern Ireland.
The review will inform decisions on whether there is a need for NISEP (or a replacement scheme) to
continue, and whether all users of electricity should continue to fund the scheme.
This paper will be of interest to consumers, consumer groups representing both business and
domestic customers, the energy industry, advice giving agencies, those with an interest in
energy efficiency, carbon reduction, energy services or vulnerable customers, government
and other statutory bodies.
NISEP is funded by all electricity customers through electricity bills. This is based on a flat
per kilowatt hour (kWh) basis, meaning that customers who use higher volumes of electricity
pay more than those who use less. NISEP has a positive impact not only on those customers
receiving the energy efficiency measures but on all customers, which will be further examined
within this document.
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