Gas bill - capacity charge?

Tar.Aldarion

I generally pay my gas every 3-6 months whenever the landlord can be bothered to bill me. This time however, for a 3 month bill there is a "capacity charge", what is this? It hasn't been on any bill for 2 years.

It's 60 euro for three months, it was never on it before and no word was said about it, it was just slipped under the door as usual. What is this? I just want to find out it's validity/basis before I pay it.

murphaph

I could be way off but they penalise you if you don't use enough gas as set out in your plan. Certainly it was like this for the old super saver rates with bord gais.

Tar.Aldarion

That sounds odd, gas is shared between everybody, all the apartments. we each have a meter and have no plan as such. We each pay for what we use. Guess I'll have to ask if nobody knows for sure.

murphaph

It's a long time since I had a gas bill in my name in Ireland but I had my own meter and was on a super saver rate. If I didn't use the minimum contracted amount there was a penalty charge. Like I said, might be something else entirely.

Tar.Aldarion

Still can't contact the landlord. What if it is as you say? Do I have any recourse, this bill is from June! And if it is as you suggest, then i could be getting penalty fines all summer that I was not told about, and were never outlined at all. For all I know I have 5 months of these 20e fines so far.

murphaph

Can you contact the gas supplier directly and ask them?

Edit: Bord Gais Energy has this to say:
"Capacity Charge
This is to cover the transport capacity cost. This will be charged per Supply Point Capacity* kWh."

Tar.Aldarion

I will do that actually, cheers. Weird how I would get a fee, the gas is supplied to the whole building as one account.


If it is what you say, I am not even paying it tbh, due to never even being told about it. unless it occurs again in the future after being told about it.
Thanks