The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is Ireland's independent energy regulator. The CRU was established in 1999. It now has a range of economic, customer protection and safety responsibilities in energy. The CRU is also the economic regulator of the Irish public water and wastewater sector. Policy for this area is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.
Please visit the CRU website for more information and their mission statement.
The CRU's primary economic responsibilities in energy are to regulate the Irish electricity and natural gas sectors. This covers electricity generation, electricity and gas networks, and electricity and gas supply activities. The CRU jointly regulates the Single Electricity Market (SEM) with its counterpart in Northern Ireland, the Utility Regulator. A decision-making body known as the SEM Committee governs the SEM. The CRU, the Utility Regulator and an independent member make up the SEM Committee.
The aim of the CRU's economic role is to protect the interests of energy customers, maintain security of supply, and to promote competition in the generation and supply of electricity and supply of natural gas.
The CRU has an important function in customer protection by resolving complaints that customers have with energy companies. Their website provides useful information for energy customers. Their website includes information relating to their customer complaints role. Further information on the complaints procedure is available here.
The CRU's energy safety role has expanded in recent years. The focus is to protect lives and property across a range of areas in the energy sector. This includes safety regulation of electrical contractors, gas and LPG installers and gas pipelines. The CRU is also the safety regulator of upstream petroleum safety extraction and exploration activities including offshore gas and oil. Information on energy safety is on their website.