- International energy crisis continues to impact energy prices with unprecedented increases in wholesale gas in excess of 700% in the last 12 months and over 200% since June 2022 alone
- Electric Ireland will increase residential electricity bills by 26.7 per cent and residential gas bills by 37.5 per cent with effect from 1st October 2022
- Electric Ireland continues to have a range of measures in place to support customers, including payment plans and a €3 Million Hardship Fund
Thursday September 1, 2022
Due to unprecedented increases in international energy market prices and their impact on wholesale gas prices, Electric Ireland has today, (1st September 2022), announced plans to increase residential electricity bills by 26.7 per cent and gas bills by 37.5 per cent with effect from 1st October 2022.
The increases equate to €37.20 per month on the average residential electricity bill and €42.99 per month on the average residential gas bill, based on the estimated annual bill as defined by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU).
Commenting on the announcement, Pat Fenlon, Executive Director, Electric Ireland said: “This continues to be a very challenging time for customers, and an unprecedented time in the energy industry with increases to wholesale gas prices in excess of 700% over the last 12 months and 200% since June 2022 alone.
He continued: ‘It is with considerable reluctance that we are increasing electricity and gas prices again for our customers, which is necessary given the continuing increases in wholesale energy prices, particularly gas. To put that into context, this time last year wholesale gas prices for winter were circa. GBP£1.15 per therm, and as of last week, this winter’s prices were circa. GBP£7.70 per therm.
We realise these price increases will be difficult for many customers to absorb and we are committed to helping our customers during these difficult times. We encourage any customer having difficulty in paying bills to engage with us and we will work with them to agree a manageable payment plan. In addition, our €3 million Electric Ireland Hardship Fund is available and will be administered on our behalf by our partners SVP (Society of St Vincent de Paul) and MABS (Money Advice and Budgeting Service).”
Electric Ireland offers a range of solutions to help customers with financial challenges including flexible payment plans, payment holidays, PAYG meters, energy use insights from their Smart Meter along with energy saving tips and advice available online at electricireland.ie.
ENDS/
Notes to Editor
How is the price increase broken down in customer bills?
Electricity
- Customers will see their average electricity bill increase on 1st October 2022 by 26.7% including PSO and VAT based on the estimated annual bill as defined by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). This equates to €37.20 per month/ €446.42 per annum.
- PSO Levy is calculated from October 1st, 2022, when the CRU is setting the PSO levy to zero with a commitment to implementing an enduring mechanism to enable payments to customers as soon as possible within the 2022/23 PSO period. The negative PSO Levy for this year arises from the design of the new RESS renewable support scheme, which means that renewable generators return market revenues above a certain level to Levy customers, and also from the return of overpayments from a previous period when wholesale prices and revenues increased above forecast levels. From a customer impact perspective, the 2022/23 PSO levy, as calculated, will result in an annual payment of €89.10 for domestic customers as per CSO published guidance in July 2022. For more see CRU Publishes Public Service Obligation Levy for 2022/23 - Commission for Regulation of Utilities
- VAT is calculated at the current, reduced rate, of 9%
- Customers will see their electricity unit rate increase by 38.24%
- There is no increase to the electricity standing charge
Gas
- Customers will see their average gas bill increase on 1st October by 37.5% including Carbon Tax and VAT based on the estimated annual bill as defined by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). This equates to €42.99 per month/ €515.93 per year
- VAT is calculated at the current, reduced rate, of 9%
- Customers will see their gas unit rate increase by 47%
- There is no increase to the gas standing charge
Customer Support
At Electric Ireland we are aware that some of our customers may experience even more financial difficulties and uncertainty this year than in the past. We have put in place a range of initiatives to support customers in such circumstances.
- Included is a €3 million Electric Ireland Hardship Fund, announced in June 2022 and now open to applications from Electric Ireland customers who have difficulty paying their bills.
- The fund will operate throughout the Winter months and into next year to ensure customers who need assistance in paying bills are supported. Access and administration of the fund and issuance of energy credits will be managed by SVP and MABS as has been the case with previous Electric Ireland funds of this nature.
- This brings to €6 million the amount Electric Ireland have committed since Winter 2020, to provide additional support to those of our customers who experience difficulty in paying bills, not including bad debts.
- €3 million Electric Ireland Hardship Fund, announced in June 2022, detailed above.
- In March 2021, a €2 Million Hardship Fund was announced to support customers who were having difficulty in paying bills initially as a result of the Covid pandemic and then as a result of increasing energy costs.
- In December 2020 Electric Ireland administered €1 million to support 10,000 registered vulnerable customers via a Christmas credit
- As a matter of course, Electric Ireland engages with any residential customer who has difficulty paying their bills, in line with the voluntary Industry Energy Engage Code and we encourage any Electric Ireland customer who has difficulty in paying their energy bill to contact us and we will work with them to put in place a manageable payment plan, of which we have many thousands in place at present.
- Electric Ireland works with Fuel Poor customers who sign up to the Household Budget Scheme, or Industry Solution Prepayment Meter as a way to pay their energy bills and also apply a 5% discount.
- We also provide several flexible payment options to help customers, including an Equaliser product that enables customers to spread their energy costs in equal payments across the year or to take a payment holiday by agreeing a plan to pay their bills over eleven months instead of twelve
- Electric Ireland adheres to the recommended service requirements, including customer protection measures, in their dealings with customers as stipulated in the recently revised CRU Supplier Handbook.
- Customers who are experiencing financial difficulty or having trouble paying their energy bills are asked to please call our team on 1800 372 372 or email service@electricieland.ie
01 MEÁN FÓMHAIR 2022
Méadú ar Phraghsanna Fuinnimh fógartha ag Electric Ireland i bhfeidhm ón 1 Deireadh Fómhair 2022
- Tionchar fós á imirt ag an ngéarchéim fuinnimh idirnáisiúnta ar phraghsanna fuinnimh agus méadú gan choinne níos mó ná 700% ar ghás mórdhíola le 12 mhí anuas agus méadú breis agus 200% ó Mheitheamh 2022 féin
- Tá Electric Ireland chun billí le haghaidh leictreachas cónaithe a mhéadú faoi 26.7 faoin gcéad agus billí le haghaidh gás cónaithe a mhéadú faoi 37.5 faoin gcéad, an méadú sin i bhfeidhm ón 1 Deireadh Fómhair 2022
- Tá bearta éagsúla i bhfeidhm ag Electric Ireland chun tacú le custaiméirí, pleananna íocaíochta agus Ciste Cruatain €3 Mhilliún ina measc
Déardaoin an 1 Meán Fómhair 2022
I bhfianaise na méaduithe nach bhfacthas riamh ar phraghsanna sa mhargadh idirnáisiúnta fuinnimh agus tionchar na méaduithe sin ar phraghsanna gáis mórdhíola, tá sé fógartha inniu (an 1 Meán Fómhair 2022) ag Electric Ireland go bhfuil pleananna ann billí le haghaidh leictreachas cónaithe a mhéadú faoi 26.7 faoin gcéad agus gás cónaithe faoi 37.5 faoin gcéad, athrú a bheidh i bhfeidhm ón 1 Deireadh Fómhair 2022 ar aghaidh.
Is ionann an méadú sin agus €37.20 sa mhí anuas ar an mbille le haghaidh leictreachas cónaithe ar an meán agus €42.99 sa mhí anuas ar an mbille le haghaidh gás cónaithe ar an meán, na suimeanna sin bunaithe ar an mbille bliantúil measta arna shainiú ag an gCoimisiún um Rialáil Fóntas.
Agus é ag trácht ar an bhfógra, bhí an méid seo le rá ag Stiúrthóir Feidhmiúcháin Electric Ireland, Pat Fenlon: Tréimhse an-dúshlánach ag custaiméirí atá ann i láthair na huaire, tréimhse nach bhfacthas a leithéid riamh i dtionscal an fhuinnimh agus méadú níos mó ná 700% tagtha ar phraghsanna mórdhíola gáis le 12 mhí anuas agus níos mó ná 200% ó Mheitheamh 2022 féin.
Lean sé ar aghaidh: Tá an-drogall orainn praghsanna leictreachais agus gáis a mhéadú arís dár gcustaiméirí, méadú atá riachtanach ós rud é go bhfuil méadú ag teacht i rith an ama ar phraghsanna mórdhíola fuinnimh, gás go háirithe. Ar mhaithe le comhthéacs a thabhairt leis an méid sin, circa GBP£1.15 per teirm an praghas a bhí ar ghás mórdhíola an t-am seo den bhliain anuraidh agus, faoin tseachtain seo caite, circa GBP£7.70 per teirm praghas an gheimhridh seo.
Tuigimid go mbeidh an méadú seo ar phraghsanna deacair ag cuid mhór custaiméirí agus táimid tiomanta ó thaobh cuidiú lenár gcustaiméirí in aimsir seo an ghátair. Má bhíonn deacracht ag aon chustaiméirí billí a íoc, molaimid dóibhsean teagmháil a dhéanamh linn agus beimid in ann a bheith ag obair leo chun teacht ar phlean íocaíochta soláimhsithe. Ina theannta sin, tá Ciste Cruatain €3 mhilliún Electric Ireland ar fáil againn agus is iad comhpháirtithe dár gcuid, Cumann Naomh Uinseann de Pól agus an tSeirbhís Buiséadaithe agus Comhairle Airgid a dhéanfaidh an ciste a riar.”
Tá fuascailtí éagsúla ag Electric Ireland chun cuidiú le custaiméirí a bhfuil dúshláin airgeadais acu, lena n-áirítear pleananna íocaíochta solúbtha, sosanna ó íocaíocht, méadair íoc-mar-a-úsáidtear, eolas ar úsáid fuinnimh ón Méadar Cliste mar aon le leideanna agus comhairle ar líne maidir le fuinneamh a spáráil ar electricireland.ie.
CRÍOCH/
Nótaí don eagarthóir
Cén chaoi a ndéanfar miondealú ar an méadú ar phraghsanna i mbillí an chustaiméara?
Leictreachas
- Feicfidh custaiméirí méadú faoi 26.7% ar a mbille leictreachais ar an meán ón 1 Deireadh Fómhair 2022, ina gcuirfear san áireamh tobhach oibleagáide seirbhíse poiblí (PSO) agus CBL bunaithe ar an mbille measta bliantúil mar atá sainithe ag an gCoimisiún um Rialáil Fóntas. Is ionann é sin agus €37.20 sa mhí/ €446.42 sa bhliain.
- Déantar tobhach na hoibleagáide seirbhíse poiblí (PSO) a ríomh ón 1 Deireadh Fómhair 2022, tráth a mbíonn an Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntas ag socrú an tobhaigh ar nialas agus gealltanas acu córas seasmhach a chuir i bhfeidhm le go ndéanfar íocaíochtaí le custaiméirí a luaithe agus is féidir le linn thréimhse PSO 2022/23. Tá an tobhach diúltach PSO ann don bhliain seo mar gheall ar dhearadh na scéime nua tacaíochta leictreachais inathnuaite, RESS, a fhágann go dtugann gineadóirí inathnuaite ioncaim mhargaidh ar ais thar leibhéal áirithe do chustaiméirí Tobhaigh agus, lena chois, mar gheall ar thabhairt ar ais ró-íocaíochtaí ó thréimhse roimhe seo nuair a d’éirigh praghsanna agus ioncaim mhórdhíola ní b’airde ná na leibhéil a bhí tuartha. I dtaca leis an tionchar ar an gcustaiméir, mar gheall ar thobhach PSO 2022/23, mar atá ríofa, beidh íocaíocht bhliantúil €89.10 le híoc ag custaiméirí tí de réir na treorach arna foilsiú ag CSO in Iúil 2022. Le tuilleadh eolais a fháil, féach Tobhach Oibleagáide Seirbhíse Poiblí foilsithe ag an gCoimisiún um Rialáil Fóntas do 2022/23
- Úsáidtear an ráta laghdaithe reatha le CBL a ríomh, is é sin 9%
- Feicfidh custaiméirí méadú faoi 38.24% ar an ráta in aghaidh an aonaid leictreachais
- Níl aon mhéadú ar an mbuanmhuirear leictreachais
Gás
- Feicfidh custaiméirí méadú faoi 37.5% ar a mbille leictreachais ar an meán ón 1 Deireadh Fómhair, ina gcuirfear san áireamh cáin charbóin agus CBL bunaithe ar an mbille measta bliantúil mar atá sainithe ag an gCoimisiún um Rialáil Fóntas. Is ionann é sin agus €42.99 sa mhí/€515.93 sa bhliain.
- Úsáidtear an ráta laghdaithe reatha le CBL a ríomh, is é sin 9%
- Feicfidh custaiméirí méadú faoi 47% ar an ráta in aghaidh an aonaid gáis.
- Níl aon mhéadú ar an mbuanmhuirear gáis.
Tacaíocht do chustaiméirí
Anseo in Electric Ireland, tuigimid go maith go mbeidh cuid dár gcustaiméirí ann a mbeidh níos mó deacrachtaí agus éiginnteachta airgeadais acu i mbliana ná mar a bhí acu roimhe seo. Tá tionscnaimh éagsúla ar bun againn chun tacú le custaiméirí a bhfuil tosca mar sin ag baint leo.
- Ar cheann acu sin tá Ciste Cruatain €3 mhilliún Electric Ireland, a fógraíodh i Meitheamh 2022 agus ar féidir le custaiméirí Electric Ireland cur isteach air anois má bhíonn deacracht acu a gcuid billí a íoc.
- Beidh an ciste ag feidhmiú i rith mhíonna an gheimhridh agus i dtús na bliana seo chugainn lena dheimhniú go mbeidh tacaíocht ann do chustaiméirí a bhfuil cúnamh uathu chun billí a íoc. Is iad Cumann Naomh Uinseann de Pól agus an tSeirbhís Buiséadaithe agus Comhairle Airgid a dhéanfaidh rochtain ar an gciste a riar agus sochair fuinnimh a chur ar fáil, mar a bhí roimhe seo i gcás cistí mar seo ó Electric Ireland.
- Fágann sé sin gur €6 mhilliún an méid atá geallta ag Electric Ireland ó bhí geimhreadh 2020 ann chun tacaíocht bhreise a chur ar fáil do na custaiméirí sin atá againn a bhfuil deacrachtaí acu íoc as billí, gan drochfhiacha a chur san áireamh.
- Ciste Cruatain €3 mhilliún Electric Ireland arna fhógairt i Meitheamh 2022, sonraí thuas.
- I Márta 2021, fógraíodh go mbeadh Ciste Cruatain €2 bhilliún ann chun tacú le custaiméirí a raibh deacracht acu íoc as a gcuid billí mar gheall ar phaindéim Covid-19 i dtús báire agus ansin mar gheall ar chostais fuinnimh ag dul in airde.
- I mí na Nollag 2020, rinne Electric Ireland €1 mhilliún a riar mar chuid de shochar Nollag chun tacú le 10,000 custaiméir cláraithe leochaileach.
- Is gnách linn dul i mbun plé le haon chustaiméirí cónaithe a mbíonn deacracht acu íoc as a gcuid billí, i gcomhréir le Cód Rannpháirteachais deonach an Tionscail Fuinnimh agus molaimid d’aon chustaiméirí de chuid Electric Ireland a bhfuil deacracht acu íoc as a gcuid billí leictreachais teagmháil a dhéanamh linn agus beimid in ann obair i gcomhar leo teacht ar phlean inláimhsithe íocaíochta, a bhfuil na mílte acu i bhfeidhm againn faoi láthair.
- Bíonn Electric Ireland ag obair le custaiméirí ar bheagán breosla atá cláraithe le Scéim an Bhuiséid Teaghlaigh nó atá cláraithe le haghaidh Méadar Réamhíoctha mar Réiteach Tionscail mar bhealach le híoc as a gcuid billí fuinnimh. Cuirimid lascaine 5% i bhfeidhm chomh maith.
- Cuirimid roghanna solúbtha íocaíochta éagsúla ar fáil chun cuidiú le custaiméirí. Ar cheann acu sin tá Cothromóir, is é sin táirge a chuireann ar a gcumas do chustaiméirí a gcostais fuinnimh a roinnt ina n-íocaíochtaí cothroma i gcaitheamh na bliana nó sos íocaíochta a thabhairt ach teacht ar phlean a gcuid billí a íoc thar thréimhse aon mhí dhéag seachas dhá mhí dhéag.
- Cloíonn Electric Ireland leis na riachtanais seirbhíse atá molta, bearta cosanta do chustaiméirí ina measc, agus muid ag plé le custaiméirí de réir mar atá leagtha síos i Lámhleabhar Soláthraithe an Choimisiúin um Rialáil Fóntas, a ndearnadh athbhreithniú air le gairid.
- Iarrtar ar chustaiméirí a bhfuil deacracht airgeadais acu nó a bhfuil deacracht acu íoc as a gcuid billí fuinnimh glao a chur orainn ar 1800 372 372 nó ríomhphost a chur chuig service@electricieland.ie