NI Department to extend new RHI rates

Plans are being made within the Department for the Economy to extend new tariff rates paid under the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) for an additional year.

The regulations were originally introduced as a temporary one-year measure in April and saw tiered and capped tariffs applied retrospectively to RHI accredited installations.

The change in tariff rates are now subject to a legal challenge in October, in a Judicial Review brought forward by the group representing boiler owners, the Renewable Heat Association for NI.

However, on Wednesday, the department said that there was not sufficient time between October’s court case and the ending of regulations in April 2018 to issue a public consultation and introduce longer-term arrangements.

“The Department intends at the appropriate time and subject to the decision of the courts in the present Judicial Review and to Assembly approval, to extend the 2017 regulations for up to a further year until 31 March 2019,” a spokesperson said.

Inspections

Meanwhile, owners of RHI-accredited boilers are being contacted by the Department for the Economy this week to inform them that both announced and unannounced inspections of boilers will take place from Monday.

Former First Minister Arlene Foster announced in December that all RHI boilers were to be inspected, but the process was delayed due to issues with appointing an external contractor.

On Tuesday, it was announced that Brighton-based renewables company Ricardo Energy & Environment are to carry out “technical checks and business analysis” of each RHI boiler.

The department has said that this will include looking at both the costs of boilers and RHI income, as well as heat management, and if heat would be generated from another source in the absence of RHI.