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ESB price astronomical

deiseman17

I live in a two bedroom apartment with my partner and daughter and we have newly put in new storage heaters to try and reduce energy costs. Previous to this we were spending €200 per month on ESB, this month it's €180. We are careful with how we use electrical items like washing machine and dryer at night time for lower rates. We are in an apartment complex but this price is so excessive and costly. Please does anyone have any suggestions or help please!!

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Seth Brundle

If you turn off all electrical appliances in the appartment, is your meter still turning?

Is the immersion heater used much?

deiseman17

I haven't tried that turning off everything and seeing if the meter still runs. What would I do if that happens? The immersion heater is used for 30 mins to an hour each day to heat water in the taps. I work away for 4 days and have 4 days off in a 3 bedroom house with 3 others in Dublin and bi-monthly it's max €160 and we use alot more electricity.

dublin49

have watched gas and elect for last few years and annual for both for 4 bed semi is 2500 per annum.Dont over use central heating but don't skrimp either if its cold out.I expect that will increase this year.

deiseman17

That's 208 for gas and electricity for a 4 bed. This is a two bed apartment,no gas,just electricity which is only turned on for an hour or two approx. If it's cold. Even during summer the price is roughly the same,it just doesn't add up. Landlord thought it was the old storage heaters and installed newer "eco" ones but I guess the money isn't coming out of his pocket.

ongarite

How much are you paying per unit of electricity day and night & how much is your standing charge?

deiseman17

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118392458#Comment_118392458

Standing charge is €1 and it's 11c approx nightly and 22c daily?

Seth Brundle

I haven't tried that turning off everything and seeing if the meter still runs. What would I do if that happens?

It is an extremely remote possibility but best to check for power being used (external to apartment or otherwise).

Is yours a smart meter or an old style one? If It is an old one, are your bills estimated or taken from recent readings?

deiseman17

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118392716#Comment_118392716

This may sound stupid but I've questioned if it has been accessed externally as well but I have no idea how to check it or who to contact in relation to it either? The smart meter is new

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118392520#Comment_118392520

€180pm of which €30 standing charge, €4.88 PSO, which leaves you using €145 worth of electricity.

16.5c/unit ÷ €145 = 879kwh/pm or 29kwh/day is nuts. Should be ~12kwh/day for a flat

deiseman17

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118392859#Comment_118392859

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118392811#Comment_118392811

Thank you so much for working that out for me,greatly appreciated. Next up is how to see how it's so high or if someone is getting free electricity for the past 3 years!!

John.G

You are sure its monthly billing?, mine is 60days, 2 months.

Can you post a scan of your bill with personal details redacted, or just post day& night units used, your bill will also show if the meter reading was esb read or customer read or estimated.

What make of storage heaters have you installed.

deiseman17

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118392983#Comment_118392983

Below is the bill for past year

deiseman17

ATC lifestyle are the storage heaters that are in the apartment

WillContribute

Just a comment to

1) Again, check the meter with everything off to assure yourself.

2) The average cost for a person/room in a rental house share is about 550-650 per annum(12 months) for heat and applicances. I've done some work with a student budgeting service.

The 4 bed example you gave above was 2500 annually, which is 625 per person, and uses gas for heating which is cheaper than electricity, approx half the costs even at night rate.

Your cost above was 1600 per annum or 800 each. This is not a million miles from 625 when you think.

a) You are using electricity for heating.

b) The proportion of standing charges per person are higher.

The following is another crude calculation

If you take the normal 600, this could be 300 electricity and 300 heat. Double the 300 for heat to make it 600 (heating from electricity instead) and then your total becomes 900 for heat and electricity.

My suggestion see can you following from summer bills to winter bills to see where the usage costs are Applicances vs Heating.

Good luck

John.G

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118393502#Comment_118393502

That's a excellent report.

Breaking it down a bit.

8/7/21 to 30/9/21. 85 days. dayunits 656 = 7.72kwh/day. nightunits 142 = 1.67kwh/day

28/11/20 to 7/7/21. 222days. dayunits 2170 = 9.77kwh/day. nightunits 3472 = 15.6kwh/day

1/10/21 to 4/11/21. 35 days. dayunits 376 = 9.3kwh/day. nightunits 47 = 1.34kwh/day.

Call them period1, period2 & period3.

Period1 at 7.72kwh/day and 1.67kwh/"day" day/night usage seems fine.

Period2 at 9.77kwh/day, bit on the high side but not outrageous IMO 15.6kwh/"day" night units, if storage heater usage only can probably be mostly attributed to/from say 28/11/20 to 15/6/21 as unlikely heating required after this this equals 16.38kwh/"day" so again IMO not outrageous as in very cold weather, probably requires 15 to 20kwh to heat your room (all day).

Period3 at 9.3kwh/day, OKish. and 1.34kwh/"day" night. OK.

Immersion usage of 30 mins/day will only account for 1.5kwh/day, that will heat 25litres of water to 60C (= 40 litres at 40C usage) and presume this sufficient for all your hot water needs?

Overall, I wouldn't consider your consumption as off the wall, I have a 4 bedroomed house with oil fired heating and use ~ 7.5kwh/day summer & 9.5kwh/day in winter, 2 in the house and occasionally 4 or 5 every other weekend.

Standing charge at €1.01 is probably due to dual tariff?, mine (single tariff) is, I think, €0.51.

As suggested, in case its been "stolen" just switch off the main breaker and see if meter stops "turning" you may have to leave it off for a hour or so if a smart meter as I think these only change after 1kwh (unit) use.

antoinolachtnai

is the electricity company saying there is a discrepancy between what you have paid and what is on the ESBn meter or anything like that?

The meter is in the apartment beside the fuse board? Can you check the readings on your PAYG meter at the beginning and end of a day for a few days and keep a record? (Using button 9).

also it might help to press button 6. That will give you an idea how much power you are using at a particular time. This might help you track down heavy consuming items.