ESB prices hikes 17% now and January

Davy

We don't live in Britain? Why are you quoting British terms? I was talking about Ireland and what applies to us. UPC is a €2 charge.

Why is there is a €2 non-Direct Debit fee on my bill?

Your new bill will itemise our non-Direct Debit charge which was previously included in your normal subscription fee. Paying by Direct Debit is the most convenient way to pay your bill; it will save you time and it’s hassle free with the reassurance that your bills are always paid on time. To pay your bill by Direct Debit please complete the Direct Debit mandate on the back of your bill and return it to UPC, PO Box 321, Dublin 3, or call us on 1908 and one of our agents will assist you.

I don't see this as a discount, or a normal bill

The_Conductor

Ok- so the price rise is 17% on the 1st of August- whats the story with the 1st of January when the ESB EUR300m subsidy runs out? Another 17-20% rise? Ontop of an estimated 38-40% rise in gas? Fcuk..... I think we'll have to buy extra heavy quilts and thermal underwear....... I see M&S are whacking up prices on them too....... Can't win.......:(

Davy

This would be a nicer scenario, they seem to be looking into it, the odds of a change I gather are slim to none? Have they ever got anything major changed?

“We feel that the current situation is not beneficial for consumers as peak electricity usage times are usually in the months leading up to Christmas. We would therefore be looking for the ESB’s contribution to come into effect from August 1st to coincide with the interim price increase of 17.5%.”

Colonel Sanders

Maybe its time to revisit the report by Deloitte and see can savings be made within the ESB rather than just automtically jacking prices up.

The Government has ruled out a partial break-up of ESB, even though its own consultants maintained it would improve competitiveness and thereby reduce prices to the consumer.

The Deloitte report maintains high labour costs and inefficiencies at ESB power stations adds €100 million to costs, compared to its EU peers.

mike65

smccarrick wrote: »

Ok- so the price rise is 17% on the 1st of August- whats the story with the 1st of January when the ESB EUR300m subsidy runs out? Another 17-20% rise? Ontop of an estimated 38-40% rise in gas? Fcuk..... I think we'll have to buy extra heavy quilts and thermal underwear....... I see M&S are whacking up prices on them too....... Can't win.......:(

An electric overblanket is the way forwards they hardly use any power on a low setting - just sling it over you and the misses as you watch tv in January.

Mike.

Seth Brundle

hellboy99 wrote: »

It's a joke, sooner some competition comes the better.

Could this be a way for the ESB to raise prices before competition comes in?

whiskeyman wrote: »

Competition is here (Airtricity have announced their re-launch into the domestic market: http://www.rte.ie/business/2008/0709/airtricity.html) but they'll probably just follow the ESB tbh.


Elec prices have gone up by 30% in the UK already... was only a matter of time.

How can airtricity be that expensive, especially given that their costs are not significant on an ongoing basis?

Colonel Sanders wrote: »

Maybe its time to revisit the report by Deloitte and see can savings be made within the ESB rather than just automtically jacking prices up.

Yeah, the unions would love that and we know how strong FF are towards the unions!

Davy

Colonel Sanders wrote: »

Maybe its time to revisit the report by Deloitte and see can savings be made within the ESB rather than just automtically jacking prices up.

But I think esb (generation) have to sell there stations, I think the CER is forcing them to a maximum market share of 40% for generation by next year regards of the break up or not. Im pretty sure poolbeg is sold already (the towers as their know as)

This price increase is from ESB gen, of course which 'customer supply' has to pass on, so this break-up wouldn't have an effect on this increase I think.

dsane1

mike65 wrote: »

This was mentioned on radio today, it was suggested that the government could tweak matters so VAT was paid on part of a unit to give some relief. Dunno how legal that would be under EU law.

Mike.

Hi ,this eu law bit is part of the reason the lisbon treaty was rejected ,a simplistic view i know but true too.!

Scottie99

davton wrote: »

We don't live in Britain? Why are you quoting British terms? I was talking about Ireland and what applies to us. UPC is a €2 charge.

I don't see this as a discount, or a normal bill

The reason being is that we don't get discount for using DD here unlike UK. We should be getting discount!!!!

poolfan

hi anyone know if airtricity gona be competitive against the esb. how could it be dearer if they get there energy for free!!

craichoe

poolfan wrote: »

hi anyone know if airtricity gona be competitive against the esb. how could it be dearer if they get there energy for free!!

Initial investment and ongoing costs for maintenence are there. I was with Airtricity and they charged the same as the ESB
Although renewable energy is the opposite to fossil fuels, the more people use it the cheaper it gets rather than GAS which is the opposite

Seth Brundle

craichoe wrote: »

Initial investment and ongoing costs for maintenence are there. I was with Airtricity and they charged the same as the ESB
Although renewable energy is the opposite to fossil fuels, the more people use it the cheaper it gets rather than GAS which is the opposite

With renewable energy, as with any other form, there is a large initial outlay but with renewable energy there is't the same level of ongoing cost. However, I can't see any of the renewable providers wanting to significantly undercut the ESB on price. Call me sceptical but I also can't see the regulator allowing them to either!

ejmaztec

Got a 22nd May issued Airtricity bill in front of me for one of the companies that I deal with.


If anyone's interested:

Fixed Commercial Day 0.1597 per unit
Fixed Commercial Night 30% 0.0781 -do-
Standing charge P6 Fixed 0.4399 per day

All plus vat & 13.5%

The bill tells the customer that 1297kgs of CO2 have not been released into the atmosphere as a result of the customer's dealing with Airtricity.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

hellboy99 wrote: »

It's a joke, sooner some competition comes the better.

I think you're missing the whole point here. Competition in the Irish market has been in place for a number of years now and this led to several increases in price in order to encourage other participants in to the market. The domestic market has been ignored by all other suppliers as they say they can't make money on it. Airtricity tried a couple of years ago and then just abandoned their customers when they pulled out. They say they will try again in 2009...wait and see.
Do you want competition in only the Supply & Generation businesses or do you want it on the Transmission and Distribution business as well? Imagine the cost (not to mention the mass of lines) if each competitor build all their own networks through the country!
Also, keep in mind that when competition came in the new companies picked the customers that yielded the max profit with min cost - e.g. Dublin City but not remote rural customers.
The increases proposed are actully below those being applied in other countries and you can't have lived on this planet for the past year and not expected it, when Oil & Gas have risen so much. The labour costs in ESB are not the problem; it's the fuel.
I'd be interested to see how usage will decrease when price go up again because for the past 7 years there has been a substancial increase in the average usage by domestic customers. Perhaps electricity isn't expensive enough if people continue to use more and more of it. :P