RHI: MLAs to be updated on energy scheme closure plans 'imminently'

Image source, Charles McQuillan

Image caption, The RHI scheme paid businesses to switch from oil and gas to environmentally-friendly heating
  • Author, Conor Macauley
  • Role, 91热爆 NI Agriculture & Environment Correspondent

The NI Executive is to consider further information about the closure of the controversial RHI scheme "imminently".

A commitment to shut it down was part of the deal which restored Stormont in January.

MLAs were told on Wednesday that minister Diane Dodds would be updating executive colleagues "very imminently".

Head of Energy Group, Richard Rodgers , also told politicians that proposals on the future of RHI were "close to fruition".

The botched green energy scheme was overgenerous, poorly designed and badly run.

Had the rules not been changed to radically reduce payouts it would have led to a massive overspend on the Stormont budget.

The political row it caused helped to collapse the institutions for three years.

But a public inquiry found that there had been no corruption at the heart of the scandal.

Complex issues

Scheme participants have claimed subsidy cuts were too deep, caused financial hardship and left them at a competitive disadvantage.

They are going to court to challenge them.

A spokesperson for the Economy Department said executive agreement was required to shut the RHI scheme.

"There are a series of complex issues being considered, not least the impact on the legitimate participants of the scheme.

"The minister is bringing forward options for the future of the scheme to the executive."

There are about 1,200 participants in the RHI scheme, many of them poultry farmers.