Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Act 2023

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Functions of distribution system operator in relation to No. III Scheme

4. (1) For the purposes of the operation and administration of the No. III Scheme, the distribution system operator shall—

(a) on the request of the Minister, determine the number of—

(i) domestic electricity accounts,

(ii) low usage electricity accounts,

(iii) low usage electricity accounts held by final customers who are registered vulnerable customers,

(iv) micro-generation accounts, and

(v) hardship meter accounts,

on such date (in this Act referred to as the “relevant date”) as the Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, prescribe for the purposes of this paragraph,

(b) as soon as practicable after it has made each determination under paragraph (a), notify the Minister of each determination,

(c) provide the Minister with any additional information requested by the Minister under section 2 (3)(d),

(d) receive monies transferred to it by the Minister under section 3 for the sole purpose of the distribution system operator transferring those monies to electricity suppliers in accordance with paragraph (f),

(e) subject to subsection (3), on such date (in this Act referred to as an “effective date”) as the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, prescribes for the purposes of this paragraph in respect of each payment period, notify each electricity supplier of—

(i) the meter point registration number for each domestic electricity account by reference to which the electricity supplier concerned supplies electricity,

(ii) the meter point registration number for each low usage electricity account which is not held by a registered vulnerable customer or a holder of a hardship meter account, and

(iii) the amount of monies to be transferred by the distribution system operator to the electricity supplier concerned under paragraph (f),

(f) transfer to each electricity supplier, within the prescribed period, out of monies received by it from the Minister in accordance with paragraph (d), the amount of monies notified to the electricity supplier concerned under paragraph (e)(iii) to be used by the electricity supplier in accordance with section 5 (1)(b),

(g) keep records of all monies transferred to electricity suppliers under paragraph (f),

(h) receive monies repaid to it by electricity suppliers under section 5 (1)(e),

(i) as soon as practicable, repay to the Minister—

(i) any monies received by it from the Minister in accordance with paragraph (d) that are not required to be transferred to electricity suppliers in accordance with paragraph (f), and

(ii) any monies repaid to it by electricity suppliers under section 5 (1)(e),

(j) perform such other functions as the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, may, for the purposes of the efficient operation and administration of the No. III Scheme, prescribe, and

(k) make available to an auditor appointed by the Minister all books and records in relation to the performance by the distribution system operator of the functions conferred on it by or under this Act.

(2) The distribution system operator shall, for the purpose of the No. III Scheme, put in place such administrative and operational arrangements that the Commission considers necessary or expedient under section 9R(1)(a) of the Act of 1999.

(3) An effective date prescribed for the purposes of subsection (1)(e) in respect of a payment period shall—

(a) be a date that is not earlier than the date of receipt of monies by the distribution system operator in accordance with subsection (1)(d), and

(b) be a date during the relevant period and not later than the commencement of the payment period concerned.

(4) In this section, “prescribed period” means such period as the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, prescribes for the purposes of subsection (1)(f) in respect of each payment period.