S.I. No. 6/1977:

ELECTRICITY (RESTRICTION OF CONSUMPTION) ORDER, 1977.

ELECTRICITY (RESTRICTION OF CONSUMPTION) ORDER, 1977.

I, TOM FITZPATRICK, Minister for Transport and Power, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 3 of the Fuels (Control of Supplies) Act, 1971 (No. 3 of 1971), hereby order as follows:

1. This Order may be cited as the Electricity (Restriction of Consumption) Order, 1977.

2. This Order shall come into operation on the 13th day of January, 1977.

3. (1) In this Order--

"the Board" means the Electricity Supply Board;

"consumer" means a consumer of electricity.

(2) References in this Order to electricity are to electricity generated by the Board.

4. (1) The use of electricity by a consumer for any of the following purposes is hereby prohibited--

( a ) advertising or display,

( b ) illumination of a shop window,

( c ) floodlighting,

( d ) any other purpose which, in the opinion of the Minister, is non-essential.

(2) The prohibition imposed by subparagraph (1) of this paragraph shall not apply to--

(a) advertising on radio or television,

(b) a traffic sign or a sign indicating a hospital, fire station, Garda Station or doctor's or chemist's premises,

(c) floodlighting in a railway yard, road transport depot, dock or airport,

(d) any apparatus which is sensitive to a change in temperature or humidity and which would be likely to be damaged by the application to the apparatus of the prohibition.

5. (1) The supply and distribution of electricity, other than for a purpose mentioned in paragraph 4 (1) of this Order, to consumers shall be regulated and controlled by the Board having regard to the amount of electricity from time to time available to the Board for supply and distribution.

(2) Any such regulation or control may, with the consent of the Minister, include the disconnection from time to time of the supply of electricity to a specified area, for a specified period or for a specified use.

(3) Without prejudice to subparagraphs (1) and (2) of this paragraph, the Minister may from time to time give to the Board such directions as appear to him to be necessary or expedient for giving full effect to the provisions of those subparagraphs.

6. (1) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph 5 of this Order, the Board may, for the purpose of ensuring the supply and distribution of electricity, give a direction to a consumer or to a class of consumers.

(2) A direction under this paragraph may be given orally or in writing, and may consist of a notice or announcement published in the Press or on Radio or Television.

7. The Minister may, for the purpose of ensuring the supply and distribution of electricity, give a direction to the Board.

8. A consumer shall not contravene any provision of this Order or any direction given thereunder.

GIVEN under my Official Seal this 13th day of January, 1977.

TOM FITZPATRICK,

Minister for Transport and

Power.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

The purpose of this Order is to prohibit the use of electricity for certain specified purposes and otherwise to authorise restrictions on the supply of electricity as may be necessary.