LAST UPDATE | 12 Sep

BORD GÁIS ENERGY and Pinergy are increasing the price of electricity for their customers from next month.

Bord Gáis Energy today said the price increase for residential electricity customers is in “response to continued increases in network costs, the impact of wholesale energy markets and the higher cost of doing business”.

Price for gas customers will remain the same.

Unit rates for electricity will increase by 13.5% from 12 October, while the standing charges will rise by 12%.

Bord Gáis Energy said this will increase a typical bill for electricity customers by an average of €18.16 per month, or around €218 per year.

Catherine Lonergan, Director of Customer and Commercial at Bord Gáis Energy, said the company “always works hard to provide the best value for our customers”.

She said this is the first price increase in three years, and that in that period there have been two price reductions across gas and electricity.

“We also absorbed network charges in 2024 saving households an average of €100 in electricity and €75 in gas,” added Lonergan.

Lonergan said that any customer facing financial difficulty should contact Bord Gáis Energy and “we will offer every possible support”.

Bord Gáis Energy said it has a “range of advice services and supports in place” and that “disconnection is always a last resort”.

Pinergy

At Pinergy, standard residential electricity prices will increase from 13 October.

Pinergy also blamed external costs including electricity system operator and network charges, as well as “continuing volatility in wholesale energy costs”.

It will result in a 9.83% increase to the typical household cost which is equivalent to €199 annually.

There is no change to Pinergy’s standing charges.

Pinergy CEO Enda Gunnell said this is the “first increase after three price decreases that we made over 2023 and into 2024”.

“Last year, we absorbed increased network charges approved by the CRU,” he added.

He also encourages customers that need additional assistance to “contact us as a first step, and we will work to support them as required”.

Electric Ireland and Energia

Elsewhere, Electric Ireland this week announced a 4% cut to gas prices, which will see its average customer save around €58 on their annual gas bill.

However, Energia confirmed electricity prices for its customers are to rise by up to 12.1% from 9 October, while its gas prices are to remain unchanged.

These increases will add up to €205 a year to the average household’s annual electricity bill under Energia.

The price hikes come amid a debate on plans to move away from non-permanent budget measures on the cost-of-living.

Speaking this week, Tánaiste Simon Harris said “help is coming” on the cost-of-living in the upcoming Budget but that one-off measures are “not a good way to run a country”.

“Help is on the way, there will be measures to assist them,” said Harris.

“But what we want to do is make sure they’re permanent, sustainable measures, not this idea of every year a family having to turn on the Budget and see, ‘will I be getting a double payment?’.”

He added: “This idea of, ‘they’re going to throw a bit of money at this year, and maybe it’ll be there next year’ is not a good way to run a country.”