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ESB NETWORKS LTD
Oct/Nov 2011 www.esb.ie/em
Pay-as-you-go metering announced by Minister
THE MINISTER FOR Communications Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte TD, announced on Tuesday September 13th that electricity and gas domestic customers experiencing financial hardship will not be disconnected this winter provided they have entered a payment plan or have agreed to the installation of pay-as-you-go meters.
Pre-Pay Metering Project (PMP)
A project has been set up by Networks IT to work with all electricity suppliers to lead the delivery of this pay-as-you-go solution. Much like the existing token meters, which are no longer in production, the new solution will allow suppliers and specified domestic customers to agree on the installation of these meters to pay for their electricity in advance and to contribute towards outstanding arrears. The credit will come in the form of a code printed on a voucher, much like credit top-ups used for mobile phones. The customer enters the code via a keypad, which is placed in a convenient position for them to access.
Upon delivery of the new pay-as-you-go meters to suppliers, installations will begin in the fourth quarter of this year. In the initial installation phase, only standard domestic installations with accessible meter locations will be fitted with the pay-as-you-go solution.
Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) Supporting Customers in Financial Hardship
The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is working with all electricity and gas suppliers to ensure that customers in genuine financial hardship are offered every opportunity to manage their electricity bills effectively and avoid disconnection. For example, the CER requires energy suppliers to engage early with customers who are experiencing difficulty meeting their bills and suppliers must offer all such customers the opportunity to enter into a payment plan to work off their energy debts, in advance of any disconnection steps being taken.
The Regulator has specified that suppliers should only request these pay-as-you-go meters for domestic customers in arrears with their accounts. Due to system constraints, a limited number of pay-as-you-go meters will be available over the next year. CER will issue guidelines to ensure that suppliers prioritise the availability of pay-as-you-go meter solutions to those most in need.
Ultimately, however, the introduction of smart meters will provide all energy customers with even further flexibility and choice. Within the smart meter programme the CER will look at prioritising the delivery of prepayment solutions.
HUNGARY FOR SUCCESS
ESB NETWORK TECHNICIAN APPRENTICE WINS GOLD
FIRST-YEAR APPRENTICE network technician Sean Bruton took home gold from the European People’s Festival, in Hungary on 22nd-29th July. The event took place in Santander just 10 miles outside of Budapest. The 19-year-old travelled with 40 other Irish competitors to take part in the swimming division of the competition.
The Athlone-based swimmer took two gold medals for the 100 metre Freestyle and the 100 metre Relay. He was only one of three swimmers who achieved a time of less than one minute in the 100 metre freestyle final. Sean beat off competition from more than 15 other countries including an ex-professional swimmer from Luxembourg. When asked about his win, Sean said he was ‘Thrilled!’, adding, “I went over, not expecting anything and came home with two gold medals”.
Sean has been swimming since the age of six and entered the competitive arena at the age of 11. Since then Sean has not looked back. With a one-hour training session every morning before work and a cycle or run in the evening, he has been working towards this achievement for a long time.
Sean’s main focus for the future is to qualify for the Irish team for next year’s European People’s Festival 2012, so he can defend his titles. In the mean time, Sean has just completed a triathlon in Portrunny, County Roscommon, at the end of August, where he finished first in his age division.
We in ESB congratulate Sean on this fantastic achievement and wish him continued success in the future.
ESB Telecoms in Joint Venture Agreement
ESB TELECOMS signed a joint venture agreement with Geo Networks on Friday July 22nd to install and operate a 96-fibre optic subsea cable, aptly named Emerald Bridge, which will connect Clonshaugh in Dublin via Portmarnock with Anglesey in Wales. Planning for the project is already at an advanced stage. A marine survey was undertaken earlier in 2011 and the subsea cable is due to go live at the end of 2011.
Emerald Bridge Cable Route Map
While there are already a number of subsea fibre cables between Ireland and the UK, no new ones have been installed in recent years and several of the existing cables are approaching end of life. With the ongoing growth in demand for high-capacity fibre-based connectivity between Ireland and the UK, ESB Telecoms sees this joint venture as an opportunity to build on its existing reputation in the Irish telecommunications market and to provide high quality solutions that meet this growing demand.
Together ESB Telecoms and Geo will be able to offer the most advanced, reliable and high-performance solution ever to connect Ireland and the UK, providing their customers with access to an extensive Irish and UK footprint and virtually unlimited, low-latency bandwidth. Targeting users of high volumes of data, the strength of this agreement is based on its ability to provide dedicated fibre solutions, with no restrictions on what customers do with it or how much capacity they use.
“We are delighted to be part of this venture,” said ESB Telecoms General Manager Tom Bambury. “The combination of this initiative with both parties’ extensive terrestrial fibre-optic networks means that our clients will now have access to an unrivalled network footprint connecting both sides of the Irish Sea.”
