Did you get your electricity bill yet? Was there a hike in the bill?

fryup

God's curse on you Vladimir Putin this is all your doing!!! 😠

glitterIsland

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118794947#Comment_118794947

Was the government credit applied to your bill?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118795927#Comment_118795927

Nope...just a whopping €241 bill

dark crystal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118794947#Comment_118794947

Same here - I'm also with Energia and got the mysterious €1.49 cr applied. Funnily enough, the bill came in yesterday and they've taken VAT and other charges from the €1.49! Hungry bas'tards.

Even with that generous credit, this month's electric bill was exactly a hundred euros dearer than my January bill. Realised our contract was up in February, so went onto Bonkers and we've switched to...Energia! They had a generous retention bundle on offer offering 40% discount with €230 cashback on top, so hopefully with the Government supplement, I might even be in credit again next May 😉

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118796535#Comment_118796535

Thanks for that....... couldn't figure what the €1.49 credit was. I'd imagine the Bonkers website is busy as hell these last few weeks

Cape Clear

Anyone reckon this could solve the kettle reboiling issue or maybe buying a half decent flask is just as good.

https://www.expondo.ie/bredeco-thermo-pot-5-litre-10080042?gclid=CjwKCAjwoduRBhA4EiwACL5RP-lUEpNiL1QxiJWmxkZ-Rz7YUqVwDyjVcFpglPK197iHd9EAYc1J7BoCIXAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

fryup

^^^^^^^^^^^^

'top tip use citric acid' ??😲

Jellybaby_1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118815437#Comment_118815437

Probably just means lemon juice which can be used as an antibacterial cleanser.

road_high

No sign of the government credit in my bill. Don’t think that kicks in until April but I’m not sure.

Cape Clear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118815746#Comment_118815746

Yes it's April.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/consumer/utilities/electricity_services.html

AckwelFoley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118628311#Comment_118628311

The math is pretty easy to do. A kettle is often 3kw. It will use 3kw of electricity in an hour if working for a full hour so if you pay 25c per kw that's 75 cent in an hour.. so if it takes 10 minutes, that's 1 sixth of 75 cent

Not counting the money for jam standing charges

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118815874#Comment_118815874

Yeah needa keep the big oven off. Its the main culprit. I used to have a mini oven on the kitchen counter.

AckwelFoley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118815941#Comment_118815941

Slow cooker are great. Very low consumption and great for many dishes. Some are 100w or 125w which is great. Anything that requires high heat over a short period are worst. Cooker, electric showers being the big 2

Samuel323

Yes, electricity cost becomes on it's peak, last week I received my electricity bill I am shocked while seeing it this year our bill is 25% high as compare to last year.

My supplier ENERGIA just announced 15% hike next month...... doesn't anybody do 5 or 10's anymore???????

Cape Clear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118834468#Comment_118834468

Not even the ladies of the night or so I'm told.

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118834468#Comment_118834468

In the same boat with Energia, its getting to be a joke now. They had 3 price increases in 2021 and this is their first of 2022, no doubt its not the last either. I think its 50 euro to exit the contract, might take a look around to see if it is worth hopping elsewhere.

chicorytip

You can always submit a false meter reading.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118836637#Comment_118836637

Do you really think the 'smart' meter is that dumb??? 'Kicking' the can down the road is never a good strategy

chicorytip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118836739#Comment_118836739

I'm just kidding, of course. Still, the majority of Irish dwellings still have the older type meters and many householders submit their own readings. In that scenario how could the utility provider verify the accuracy of the readings?

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118836820#Comment_118836820

In theory ESB Networks are supposed to come out and read it themselves every three months. However they definitely dont in my area and then during Covid they officially stopped doing it. Dont know if they have officially started up again but they never come to my area anyway.

I had asked if under reading your meter before switching to a cheaper provider is illegal or not further back up the thread but got no reply. If its not against the law then I think its a legitimate strategy to reduce your costs, simply under read the meter for a few months then switch to a cheaper provider with a discounted deal and then give them the real readings.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118534545#Comment_118534545

who gives a 40% discount?

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118836999#Comment_118836999

Energia for new customers in a 12 month contract give a 41% discount on their headline unit rates, Im on it now.

This is their new rates after the price increase that is coming April 25th but if youre new you can get 41% off them, they also have a 35 euro cashback offer on sign up (or at least did last September when I signed up)

https://www.energia.ie/price

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118837018#Comment_118837018

are the standing charges the same / similar across providers?

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118837103#Comment_118837103

No, standing charges vary across providers and even across individual plans. You used to be able to get standing charges for around 200 a year but now most suppliers are hovering around 300 a year with some even more expensive. Its getting to the point where just being connected is costing a euro a day right throughout the year.

If you are a low usage user of electricity finding the cheapest standing charge is usually the way to go even if it means paying a higher unit price. Important to do your sums though based on previous usage as everyone will be different.

Ubbquittious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118837535#Comment_118837535

Yes they have definitely embarked on a long term project to fatten the standing charges pig. I'd say they'll be increasing it an awful lot in the coming years while trying to compete on unit rates. You'll see promotions like "sign up for our 3e a day standing charge and you can have free electricity at night" and other stuff that will never pay for itself. As it is, it wouldn't even pay for me to change to a day & night meter due to the increased standing charges

Cape Clear

Seems to be a realitively new and unwelcome departure to increase standing charges along with unit rates. A real dose considering discount only apply to unit prices. Should it even be allowed?

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118841096#Comment_118841096

Its a good question. Like a standing charge is supposed to be the cost of you being connected to the network and for it being maintained. You'd expect that to only rise slightly with inflation over the years but in the last 12-18 months it has shot up by some 40%. Only 15 months ago I was with Glow Power and the standing charge was the cheapest on the market at 128 per year, now the cheapest standing charges are more like 250-280 so it seems obvious the energy companies are using the standing charge to give the impression that they are competitive on unit prices.

Ultimately the Energy Regulator, like all regulators in this country, is asleep at the wheel.

Ubbquittious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118842910#Comment_118842910

You are being generous to him by saying he is asleep. More likely he has been told he'll waltz onto some executive board in a power company a few years after he is no longer regulator

jj880

Got the 200 euro credit.

-200 euro due in my Electric Ireland online account.

zell12

Govnt. Elec. Credit +€200.01

jj880

I mean its free money so dont wanna be ungrateful but its just 1 free bill for me. Then its back to ridiculous bills that are double what they were a few years ago. Might have to start showering fully clothed. Take my dishes in the shower also. Its getting daft.

Dempo1

Got mine also, can't actually see it as such but account in credit, I presume it will show on next Bill (Electric Ireland)

There seems to be an impression the credit is worth €230 to include Vat, Eamonn Ryan kept saying €230 on morning Ireland yesterday , I believed the net amount is €200 to include Vat.

But nonetheless welcome whatever the amount.

Now if they can do something about ridiculous PSO levy and Rural Standing charge ( Higher than Urban) which in 2022, makes no sense. I believe the difference was for a time it was more costly to provide electricity to rural locations, surely that can't be the case, anymore 🤔

Cape Clear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118882084#Comment_118882084

€200 including vat. Maybe Ryan is unaware that vat on electricity is @13.5% which wouldn't surprise me. I hear you on the rural charge and PSO. Standing charges should also be scrutinised given for low users they could soon be the highest item on an annual bill.

€200 Electricity Account Credit (citizensinformation.ie)

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118882416#Comment_118882416

This was my understanding and again media repeating this €230 figure this morning. I found it astonishing the Minister responsible not asked to clarify his remarks yesterday on morning Ireland. I know €30 may not be an enormous amount but that's not the point he is adamant the amount being credited is €230 and it is not 😏

Hooked

We moved to a much bigger gaff in the country end of 2021... I was dreading the "bigger bills" but so far so good on the leccy...

Just me and the missus, 2 doggos... and our first 2 bills have been 90 and 105 euro, so averaging 50 a month (with new customer discounts).

This grant will essentially see us through to the end of July... which is great. But I can imagine that a family of 4 with washing machines, dryer, dishwasher and showers going daily will barely feel the impact of the 200 quid.

Still, with the cost of living (food, home heating, fuel, etc...) always on the rise... I'll happily enjoy the 4 month break.

ParkRunner

Family of 5 with two dogs also in the country, oil heating, washing machine/dryer going daily. €140 electricity bill came in this week. Got solar panels in last year thank god although without a battery but I would encourage anyone who can afford it to get solar panels, especially given how unpredictable energy prices can be.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118883861#Comment_118883861

Can I ask was it expensive 🤔, my own humble cottage does have a reasonably modern heating system , I use oil but also stand alone Stove . I got eye-watering quotes, to include replacing water cylinder and some some plumbing requirements. Annoyingly I need oil to heat water during summer months but I can turn off pump so radiators don't heat up. I could but won't use emmersion.

I'm primarily looking at just a Hot water solution but was quoted between €15k and €22k 😳

phormium

My bill was lower than I expected but oddly enough it's only for 48 days which is kind of a good bit short of the usual 2 month bill.

With switching credit of €265 from October last - still has €18 left, and this new Govt credit it looks as if I won't have an electric bill to pay until August.

ParkRunner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118884131#Comment_118884131

That does seem on the expensive side if it’s just solar panels and a new water cylinder. The solar cost me about €5.5k after the SEAI grant and I got a new large water cylinder heated by the panels for a few hundred quid. €6k net should go a long way towards what you need, unless I’m missing something

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118884609#Comment_118884609

Thank you , that's not bad to be fair. My property quite old albeit restored and perhaps additional plumbing challenges are the reason for such high quotes . I should have said the quotes were a number of years ago . I'll have check again and the grant options.

Thanks again 😏

Jakey Rolling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118836637#Comment_118836637

My next bill is due to be issued next week, so I submitted an "exaggerated" reading - at least the extra 500 units will be billed at current rate rather than the +27% rate that starts on 15th April. I'll be saving about 5c/kWh after 20% discount so around €25.

Unlikley that ESBN will read the meter in the next 3 months - we're rural and gate is always locked. By the time they get round to reading it the discrepancy shouldn't be obvious.

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118888640#Comment_118888640

was half thinking of exaggerating my own read as my unit rates are due to rise on April 25th with Energia. The meter reader is rarely seen around here and definitely not once every 3 months as they say

Graces7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118881928#Comment_118881928

chasm

Email from Bord gais today stating "from 31 July 2022, Tesco will no longer be a part of our Rewards program. After 10 great years, we’re working on reimagining the best rewards for our customers and will have some exciting upgrades and offers coming soon."

The option to use my clubcard points to reduce my bill was one of the reasons that I switched to them!

eeepaulo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118988506#Comment_118988506

That was a great offer considering BG were really competitively priced. I had it 2020-2021, during covid so doing click and collect and deliveries, double the clubcard voucher amount off your bill plus you got clubcard points on your BG bill. It was 2% of your shopping bill and 1% of your electric bill.

JimmyVik

Whats happening latley is blatant abuse of standing charges for both gas and electricity. There is definitely a brown envelope going to the regulator.

put_the_kettle_on

I'm in the uk and with no change in usage, my electricity bill has gone from 46 quid a month to just shy of 200.

Currently dreading the new gas bill landing.

HorseSea

I think I have been scammed by Bord Gais for Electricity. First bill this year was by my calculation underestimated by €204. I thought, that's clever with the €200 off on the next bill it will work out fine. However for the next bill it was also grossly underestimated and with the €200 credit I had little to pay.

I checked the estimate against the meter and I am 1400 units over their estimated usuage.

I checked the actual usage for last year for the same periods and they are in line with what was used this year, not what was estimated. So why did they grossly underestimate the same period this year?

Where's the scam? Well when I submit a reading now and pay for the extra 1400 units it will be a the new much higher rate.

And yes I know it's my fault I should have submitted readings, but I just forgot. Expensive mistake.