Through its mainstream business activities and its community involvement policy, the Group seeks to make a positive impact on the communities in which it operates.
NIE seeks to maintain safe and reliable electricity supplies to its customers in Northern Ireland. During the year the average number of minutes lost per customer per annum through distribution interruptions, excluding the effect of major storms, was 62 minutes compared to 80 minutes the previous year, representing the best ever performance. All the overall customer standards set by Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation (NIAUR) were achieved and there were no defaults against the guaranteed standards. Over recent years NIE has achieved a significant reduction in the level of customer complaints referred to the Consumer Council and during 2008/09 achieved its best performance with only three such complaints.
During the year, NIE continued its public safety awareness programme, promoting the importance of electrical safety to over 18,000 school children, farmers, anglers and agricultural and building contractors. The NIE ‘Kidzsafe’ programme raises safety awareness among primary school children in an effort to reduce incidences of vandalism and electricity-related injuries. NIE continued to host a number of farm safety events. NIE offers contractors undertaking road works a wide range of advice and assistance to help them avoid damaging underground electrical cables. The NIE safety website www.niesafety.co.uk offers key safety advice on a wide range of activities.
As part of its price control arrangements for RP4, NIE has committed to a £1m vulnerable customer programme to help alleviate fuel poverty in Northern Ireland. Under this programme NIE Energy Supply manages the ‘For Your Benefit’ initiative in conjunction with a number of organisations. To date over 5,500 benefit entitlement checks have been completed.
NIE Energy Supply offers a number of services to its customers that are promoted through its codes of practice (produced in several different languages) and through various advice providers, including Citizens Advice Bureaux, Advice NI and Energy Saving Trust Advice Centres. NIE Energy Supply aims to assist its customers with special needs through a number of these services. Over 2,700 customers with special requirements benefit from a range of services through NIE Energy Supply’s customer care register. NIE provides a critical care information service to over 2,500 customers dependent on life-supporting electrical equipment.
Recognising the impact of increased global energy costs on lower income customers, NIE Energy Supply put in place a ‘Winter Hardship’ fund to provide assistance to some vulnerable customers experiencing hardship with their electricity costs.
The Group recognises the social dimension of debt prevention and management and NIE Energy Supply continues to offer a wide range of payment options and debt prevention measures. There are currently c222,000 domestic customers (approximately 28%) using NIE Energy ‘Keypad’ meters. These pay-as-you-go meters enable customers to budget for their electricity payments, whilst attracting a 2.5% discount to the standard price of electricity, and provide user-friendly credit and consumption information. In addition NIE Energy Supply offers a ‘time of use’ keypad tariff enabling customers to benefit from lower electricity charges at certain times of the day.
NIE Energy Supply engages with a wide range of organisations in the voluntary, public and private sectors focusing on social action and CO2 reduction. During the year this has included playing an active role in the Minister for Social Development’s Fuel Poverty Taskforce.
In addition to sponsorship to charities and organisations of £143,000 (2008 - £104,000), the Group’s donations to charities in the year were £12,000 (2008 - £12,000). There were no contributions for political purposes.