This is a subscriber-only article
Auditors working for the Department for the Economy (DfE) are inspecting five businesses each week that have Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) accredited boilers.
On enquiry, a DfE spokesperson said 73 sites containing 223 boilers have been audited in the latest phase of the programme, which began in the summer. A pilot audit scheme last year saw 33 sites audited. There are 1,270 sites with RHI boilers in NI.
A proportion of the new site inspections are unannounced, but the DfE spokesperson said that most boiler owners are given prior warning.
According to Andrew Trimble from the Renewable Heat Association for NI (RHANI), there continue to be issues with the audit process. He said auditors look for evidence of planning permission for RHI installations, even though most qualified as permitted developments and did not need to enter the planning process.
Trimble has also written to DfE permanent secretary Noel Lavery asking him to speak to RHANI members at their AGM in January about the audit process and long-term plans for the RHI scheme.
“We are all for best practice and compliance. As far as I am concerned, our members have nothing to hide,” he said.
The DfE spokesperson said that officials were still analysing responses to the public consultation on long-term RHI tariffs which closed in September, with the aim being to have a new policy in place by April 2019.
SHARING OPTIONS: