Rip-off ESB slaps charge on low users

Run_to_da_hills

Not sure if this has already been mentioned in this forum.

I'm appalled at this new increase, it is specifically designed to hit out at those with stand alone storage units and lock up premises that would not need such a demand for a daily electricity supply other than for alarms and the occasional lighting.

In the times when we are advised to conserve power the ESB are now penalising us for not using it. We already pay a fee for the non use of electricity, its called a standing charge.

I hope this unjustified and outrageous increase by this company get knocked on the head by the powers above.

http://www.herald.ie/news/ripoff-esb-slaps-charge-on-low-users-3032406.html

rubadub

There is a shortfall they must make up. How would you prefer to see it done? increase in the standing charge or increase in kWh rates? or something else?

The 'low user standing charge' will hit those who use an average of two units or less per day -- in many cases society's most vulnerable.

Two units (2 kWhs) is the equivalent of a small fridge-freezer on for the entire day, cooking on a small plate for 20 minutes or a cycle on a washing machine.

it was specifically aimed at vacant dwellings or holiday homes that are not lived in for most of the year.

Do society's 'most vulnerable' really have holiday homes and vacant dwellings? jaysus, I don't have either...

I would prefer to see this charge introduced rather than an increase in standing charges. If they wanted less flack they could have increased the standing charge and give a bulk discount if people used a lot of electricity -its pretty much the exact same thing, but it upsets some people less who fall for such marketing wording. Like pizza places with 'free delivery' and 'walk in discounts'.

It costs them money just to have people on the books, admin etc.

lala88

rubadub wrote: »

There is a shortfall they must make up. How would you prefer to see it done? increase in the standing charge or increase in kWh rates? or something else?




Do society's 'most vulnerable' really have holiday homes and vacant dwellings? jaysus, I don't have either...

I would prefer to see this charge introduced rather than an increase in standing charges. If they wanted less flack they could have increased the standing charge and give a bulk discount if people used a lot of electricity -its pretty much the exact same thing, but it upsets some people less who fall for such marketing wording. Like pizza places with 'free delivery' and 'walk in discounts'.

It costs them money just to have people on the books, admin etc.

Did you not know that in the last few years everyone is part of ''sociey's most vulnerable''? Just like how all of a sudden everyone if a hard working irish citizen

parsi

Airtricity have increased their standing charges in order to deal with bad debts. There wasn't the same uproar about that possibly because Joe Duffy's holiday houses weren't affected.

shoegirl

If I'm not wrong, standing charges are still determined by CER. The actual prices I think, the companies are now permitted to price themselves. The standing charge often includes the charges involved in distribution/transmission, from maintaining the Grid to providing and maintaining meters. ESB still entirely own and control both the distribution and transmission systems so would be the main beneficiary, Eirgrid then presumably get a cut for monitoring and managing the transmission side of the system and operating the transmission usage system.

Le Graduate

shoegirl wrote: »

If I'm not wrong, standing charges are still determined by CER.

The standing charge is determined by ESB Networks and approved by the CER.(http://www.esb.ie/esbnetworks/en/commercial-downloads/ESB-networks-ltd-statement-of-charges.pdf)

lala88

parsi wrote: »

Airtricity have increased their standing charges in order to deal with bad debts. There wasn't the same uproar about that possibly because Joe Duffy's holiday houses weren't affected.

Strange that no one looks at that when they complain about the price going up....