The island of Ireland is in a unique legal position when one considers the electricity market. Northern Ireland, part of the UK, is not usually mentioned in the context of Republic of Ireland law, but as of November 2007 we have had a single electricity market (SEM) for the entire island (including the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland). Indeed, work has already begun on developing a single gas market for the island as well.
The SEM may provide a template for future supranational electricity markets, particularly for those that are either small or geographically isolated. Where reference is made to state-owned or specific legislation, it is to what applies in the Republic of Ireland.
Historically the state-owned Electricity Supply Board (ESB) and Bórd Gáis Éireann (BGE) had, for all practical purposes, vertically integrated monopolies in electricity and gas respectively. Over the last 10 years, market opening has been achieved,...