Electricity pricing for industrial users
Taylor asked whether electricity prices, especially for industry, should be reduced to use spare capacity. The Minister agreed with the underlying point and said he hoped soon to announce and publish the findings of the Jacobsen Report on ESB pricing.
Will the Minister agree that any projection for total consumption of electricity will be influenced very much by the pricing policy struck for electricity, in particular to industrial users? In view of the fact that there will clearly be substantial over-capacity will the Minister favour a policy of reduced pricing of electricity to industrial users in particular so that some of the slack capacity available can be taken up? Will the Minister outline to the House the position with regard to pricing policy?
Comment on this
I am in agreement with the basic assumption underlying Deputy Taylor's statement. I am sure the Deputy is aware of the statement I made last Friday in relation to the Jacobsen Report on the pricing structure in the ESB. That report was made available to the Department in the last fortnight and I am hoping to make an early announcement on the contents of that report which will be published.