Electric Ireland, along with acclaimed garden designer Diarmuid Gavin, officially launched its Home Electric+ plans for homes with smart meters installed. Electric Ireland’s Home Electric+ plans will help customers learn more about their energy usage, decrease their overall electricity usage and reduce their bills by availing of cheaper electricity at different times of the day.
Electric Ireland’s free Home Electric+ plans all have the following benefits accessed through customers' online accounts:
- Personalized insights on electricity usage (insights build incrementally over time).
- Monthly emails that communicate which appliances are using the most electricity (available after a four-month data period).
- A monthly billing option and bill prediction alerts (billing is currently bi-monthly).
- Regular reviews to ensure customers are on the right plan.
- Eliminates the need for manual meter readings and estimated bills.
‘Home Electric+’ plan
Customers can also choose, from the outset or at a future time the ‘Home Electric+’ plan that best suits their lifestyle:
- Home Electric+ Night Boost (offering cheaper night rate electricity from 11 pm to 8 am and a super-cheap boost period of just over 5c per kwh from 2 am to 4 am) is ideal for Electric Vehicle owners.
- Home Electric+ Weekender gives customers the choice of free electricity on either Saturday or Sunday (8 am to 11 pm).
- Home Electric+ SST (Standard Smart Tariff which offers day, night and peak rates) is suited to customers who can use more electricity during off-peak periods.
Innovative range of ‘Home Electric+’ plans
Marguerite Sayers, Executive Director, Electric Ireland, said: “We know that many of our 1.1 million customers want to make a positive difference with their energy decisions. Not only do smart meters provide accurate half-hourly electricity reads, eliminating the need for manual reads or estimated billing, they empower our customers to better understand what is driving their electricity usage and in turn make more informed decisions."
“The personalized online insights provided alongside our innovative range of ‘Home Electric+’ plans will allow our customers to reduce their electricity usage or move it to a different time of day. The benefits are two-fold, less consumption of energy at peak times means reduced carbon emissions which is good for the environment, and reduced usage by customers means real savings on their bills which we know will be of great comfort at this time.
"Electric Ireland knows there has been considerable anxiety caused to households throughout the country as a result of the announcement of significant energy price rises by some other suppliers. Electric Ireland would like to reassure our 1.1 million residential customers that we do not have any plans to increase gas or electricity prices at this time. We are also maintaining our moratorium on residential disconnections, which we hope will give further peace of mind.”
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Diarmuid Gavin, the garden designer, said: “As a parent and business owner I am always looking at ways to do my part for the planet, be it installing energy-saving lighting in my client's gardens or looking to make small changes around the house that make all the difference, like turning my thermostat down and collecting rainwater for using in the garden."
"Smart meters are another small step we can all take to do the right thing without much effort. With Electric Ireland’s Home Electric+ plans customers can learn more about their electricity usage and then make small changes like reducing consumption of certain appliances or by moving their usage to different times of the day when electricity is cheaper. And that means savings off bills as well as a positive impact on the environment. Electric Ireland is offering real choice through their innovative range of new Home Electric+ plans, so there really is something there for everyone.”
Next-generation Smart Meters
National Smart Metering Program will ultimately see ESB Networks replace 2.4 million electricity meters
Electric Ireland’s Home Electric+ plans are available to Electric Ireland residential customers who have had a smart meter installed in their homes. Smart meters have been installed in parts of the following locations: Dublin (North, South, Central), Sligo, Limerick, Cork City, Bandon (Cork), Portlaoise (Laois), Navan (Meath) and Drogheda (Louth). These customers can avail of the range of innovative Home Electric+ plans.
The National Smart Metering Program will ultimately see ESB Networks replace 2.4 million electricity meters with next-generation Smart Meters. As part of the program, all households in Ireland will receive a Smart Meter, and once installed, they will be able to experience the benefits of the new technology.
Brighter Together Energy Program
Approximately 250,000 of all households in Ireland have had a Smart Meter installed over the last 18 months.
Electric Ireland offers a host of products through their Brighter Together Energy Program that can help home and business owners lower their energy usage which includes a 100% Green Electricity Price Plan, Ireland’s only Heat Pump Price Plan with a cheaper unit rate for customers with a heat pump in their homes, as well as a wealth of educational energy saving content and advice on the Electric Ireland Brighter Together hub.
