PAY AS YOU go electricity customers are advised that they will not be cut off during the blizzard if their credit runs out.

Both Pinergy and Electric Ireland – the retail arm of ESB – operate a pay as you go service, which requires customers to top up as they use electricity.

Pinergy has a standard ‘friendly hours’ rule which means it will not cut people off between 5pm and 9am, but today a spokesperson said these friendly hours have been extended from 4pm today until 9am on Tuesday.

This is to cater for customers – particularly older people – who may be unable to top up over the next few days with stores and post offices closed.

The company’s call centre closed earlier this afternoon due to the severe weather conditions, but customers with issues can still contact staff:

Electric Ireland also suspends disconnections after 4pm until the next morning, but it said there is a risk some customers could be disconnected automatically during daytime hours if they do not top-up, or contact the company to let them know they are stuck.

To prevent this happening Electric Ireland said it is encouraging customers to top up their meters using the following methods:

• Online with a debit/credit card
• Registered customers can top up by texting ‘EI top up (amount)’ to 53314.

All pay as you go customers also have an emergency credit of €5 that can be used for their meters if their credit runs out. This will be deducted the next time the customer tops up.

Customers in emergency situations can email Electric Ireland at payglifestyle@electricireland.ie and provide their MPRN and the company will issue a code for credit.

Read: Up to one metre of snow forecast to fall in some eastern areas of Ireland>

Read: ‘In Boston they’d throw you in the clink’: Here’s why you should never drive in a blizzard>

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