Switching electric/gas providers (see first post for links)

Got seriously bitten by FloGas with their massive increases. Worth noting that if you break the contract for any reason the cashback will be reclaimed. So I now never take cashback into account when choosing a supplier.

Im not sure if you can refuse the actual smart meter, its their equipment at the side of your house and they can swap it over as they see fit. Only thing you can do is avoid a smart plan which all seem to be about punishing people for using electricity from 5-7pm.

Ive read in other countries with smart meters they charge more for units at the peak 5-7pm to discourage the use of tumble dryers, dishwashers during those times but that is then offset by cheaper unit rates outside of those hours. But this is Ireland so we get shafted with a high day unit rate and an even higher one for 5-7pm on these 'smart' plans. So I'll be avoiding these plans but have no doubt at some stage they are going to make them mandatory. Which is basically like another price increase because people need to cook dinner from 5-7pm and they'll force everyone in to paying even more than now to do so.

Just as a heads up and not a nice one but Electric Ireland have just changed their offers in the last hour or two. The old discounts appear to have disappeared and new even worse offers are up. They do now give you 150 cash back though to compensate.

Electricity unit price

Was 24.42. Now 28.64c per kWh

Gas unit price

Was 7.46. Now 9.133c per kWh

Was literally about to swap to them today and South Park like 'and it's gone'. Energia it is for me it seems.

Saw that, I switched earlier this week having been shafted by BGE supposedly charging me incorrect rates which they bumped to exhorbitant figures, then signed up to SSE only for them to jack their prices.

Another thing I've noticed with EI is they've now brought their nightsaver unit rates up to be pretty much in line with their various smart time of use plans, i.e. more expensive, whereas nightsaver was cheapest by far prior. SSE have done similar with their price increase, albeit with the punitive peak rate staying exclusive to the smart plan.

I'd say anyone in a position to, get locked into Energia's EV plan with the fixed rates ASAP as it looks like the cheaper nightrate plans are about to go the way of the meters they run on and all plans are going to be hiked repeatedly going forward throughout winter and beyond...

The Energia night rate for EV’s look great -the day rate is quite high. I don’t think there’s any fixed rate plan , so seems we’re all at the mercy of fluctuating prices.

👍Interesting, had no idea they did fixed rates. When you go over a certain amount of units per month the rate increases by a lot though!

Well worth knowing how many units are used on average in a household -makes the calculations on Bonkers far more accurate.

It seem you can't really count on anything when changing electricity companies except for getting royally screwed.

Like what's the bloody point in even using Bonkers to make a saving if right after you change companies they can go jack up the price so you're paying the same or more than you were with the company you just left and were getting ripped off with.

We have zero protection here.

The electricity companies can keep raising the price to infinity and nobody blinks an eyelid. How about people go tothe dail and protest against the rising prices instead of looking after only number one and looking for wage increases so the rest of us who aren't working in their sector get screwed and can't afford to pay our bills anymore. It's that selfish "I want a wage increase and I'm all that matters" mentality that leaves less well off people completely screwed.

Anyway my point is people need to start protesting against the actual rising prices of electricity or the electricity companies get away with it and we'll all be screwed.

Day rate is high but at the rate of increases it could well end up looking extremely good soon!

Another heads up. This time on Bord Gais and better news. Got an email from One Big Switch this morning offering 33% off both electricity and gas. From OBS website

Electricity Discounted Unit Rate: 22.16c/kWh. Annual electricity standing charge €281.12. All figures include VAT

Gas Discounted Unit Rate: 6.58c/kWh. Annual gas standing charge €169.4. All figures include VAT

OBS states this offer is open to both new and existing customers.

https://onebigswitch.ie/offers/energy

I've been with Bord Gais for the last year and have just gone out of contract in the last few days. Having been bounced from pillar to post in the last week by BG from their customer service team to Smart team to discount team to sales team refusing to honour their offer made the week earlier when I was still in contract to stay on my 39% and 31% offer this seems like the better deal compared to Energia which I signed up for only yesterday.

Anyone know since I've applied for Energia online yesterday what should I do now to go with Bord Gais again. Do I just fill in the form on the One Big Switch website?

Looks good what are people's experience of One Big Switch? IIRC BG last increased their prices at the start of May. So are we potentially looking at an increase that wipes out that 33% discount from November 1st I wonder!

I was literally looking at the EV Plan on Energia last night at 11.30pm and comparing it to the regular 27% discount plan. I took a note of it while doing some calculations on my day and night unit usage. The EV Plan was a 31% discount off standard rates making it-

Standing 296.40

Day 27.43c

Night 7.9c

Now today the 31% discount has been reduced to 25% and the unit rates have been put up literally overnight, its unreal

Thanks. I gave them a ring. They did try to convince me to stick with them, a bit pushy perhaps, but then that is their job so you can't blame them. Frankly it must be tough working for any of the providers these days as everyone is under pressure, both staff and customers.

@KildareP when you signed up for the Energia EV Plan did they ask for some kind of proof that you have an EV or EV charger? Also is it defiinitely a fixed unit rate for the entire 12 months?

Here we go.

Electric Ireland to increase gas and electricity prices (rte.ie)