Sir, – We are well aware of the tight electricity supply resources in Ireland, the significant usage of electricity by data centres and now the threat of power cuts at peak times this coming winter. Smart meters have been widely installed across the country; these provide the opportunity for the application of variable prices for electricity at different times of the day and night, incentivising consumers to use more power during off-peak periods and, significantly, less at peak times. It is unclear from the ESB Networks website, the company responsible for smart meter installation across the country, when the installation will be completed. Incidentally, our smart meter has not yet been installed, nor have we received any advice as to when it might be.
The national completion date should be clarified as a matter of urgency and a campaign to promote the usage of these meters should be launched, with a view to lowering the demand for power during peak hours and, hopefully, help to avoid power cuts this winter. – Yours, etc,
JOHN RYAN,
Dublin 18.
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Sir, – Leo Varadkar says we are paying more for our energy because the international cost of energy has risen (Business This Week, August 12th).
If the suppliers of our oil, gas and electricity were simply passing on their increased input costs, there would not be any windfall profits and there would be no reason to consider the introduction of a windfall tax. Here’s a relatively small point which suggests that something else is going on here.
Between July 2020 and March 2022 the unit price of electricity on my ESB bill increased by almost exactly 25 per cent while the standing charge increased by the same 25 per cent. On July 1st, ESB announced a further 11.35 per cent increase in unit prices and in the standing charge, effective August 1st. The announcement referenced the increase in wholesale energy prices.
Recently ESB kindly sent me a link to a three-minute video to explain the charges on my ESB bill. The video tells me that the standing charge is calculated to include billing and collection costs and all relevant ESB Networks costs. I can understand that there is a cost to ESB of providing the infrastructure to deliver electricity and that I must pay my share even if I don’t boil the kettle. I do not understand – and the video makes no attempt at enlightenment – why these Irish-based costs should increase in tandem with increases in wholesale energy prices on world markets. – Yours, etc,
PAT O’BRIEN,
Dublin 6.