With more than 12 electricity suppliers, you’ve got plenty of options to choose from. So which is the best energy provider in Ireland? Which electricity providers also supply gas? We analyse all these companies so that you can compare and determine which is the best gas and electricity supplier in Ireland for your home.
Electricity suppliers in Ireland
There are now 12 electricity suppliers in Ireland. Of these electricity suppliers, seven of them also supply gas. You can refer to the above electricity suppliers in Ireland list for further detail on each company. At the end of 2020, the CRU reported the electricity market shares as follows:
The original electricity supplier, now Electric Ireland, has managed to retain a strong market share. It has also edged its way into the gas market.
How much is electricity in Ireland?
All suppliers offer variable prices, which means that Ireland's electricity prices may change according to global wholesale market prices. Therefore, choosing a reputable provider for your energy needs is important so that your bills do not suddenly rise dramatically after joining an electricity company.
You can read more on the current global energy crisis in our news section and the following related articles:
- Seven Irish Energy Providers to Increase Prices
- Beat the High Cost of Living
- SSE Airtricity to Increase Energy Prices
- Bright Energy Folds
- How to Fight Rising Electricity Prices
Did you know? Currently, the average electricity cost of one unit of electricity is *50.59c in Ireland.
*Prices as of August 2022, based on the average standard electricity rate for urban 24-hour meters of all twelve electricity suppliers in Ireland.
Compare: Which is the best electricity provider in Ireland?
There are various factors to consider when deciding which is the best electricity supplier for your home.
In the table below, you'll find the cheapest offers from the electricity companies in Ireland. The best deal is currently with Bord Gáis Energy followed by SSE Airtricity.
| Supplier | Best offer | Price per year |
|---|---|---|
| Bord Gáis Energy | 10% Discount | €2,005.58 |
| Community Power | Standard | €2,138.23 |
| Ecopower | Standard | €1,977.98 |
| Electric Ireland | 5.5% Discount | €1,923.19 |
| Energia | 10% Discount | €1,970.51 |
| Flogas | Standard | €2,089.08 |
| Glowpower | Has Stopped Trading | No Longer Available |
| Iberdrola | Has Stopped Trading | No Longer Available |
| Panda Power | Has Stopped Trading | No Longer Available |
| Pinergy | Smart Tariff | €2,490.63 |
| Prepay Power | Standard | €2,148.12 |
| SSE Airtricity | 15% Discount | €1,866.02 |
| Waterpower | Standard | €3,667.50 |
| Compare the Energy Market | Call (01) 913 1771 Ad | Mon - Fri: 9 am - 6 pm |
*Figures are for illustrative purposes only. Calculations based on average consumption figures for an urban home with a 24-hour standard meter unless specified. All discounts and cashback have been applied. PSO Levy Rebate of €97.25 has also been discounted.
Last updated: 22/03/2023.
If you would like your home powered by 100% renewable energy, have a look at the current cheapest electricity suppliers in Ireland for renewables in the table below. SSE Airtricity currently has the lowest offers followed by Energia with the best rates for 100% renewable electricity. The latter also has an outstanding rating of 4.3 out of five stars on the customer review site Trustpilot. That's much higher than SSE Airtricity's score of 1.3 and Bord Gáis Energy's score of 1.6. Considering all of these factors, Energia stands out as one of the best electricity suppliers in Ireland.
| Supplier | Best offer | Price per year |
|---|---|---|
| Community Power** | Standard | €3,209.75 |
| Ecopower** | 25% Discount | €1,759.42 |
| Energia | 10% Discount | €1,608.34 |
| Pinergy | Family Time | €1,973.00 |
| SSE Airtricity | 10% Discount €100 Cashback |
€1,964.40 |
| Waterpower** | Standard | €2,616.43 |
| Compare Renewable Energy Prices | Call (01) 913 1771 Ad | Mon - Fri: 9 am - 6 pm |
*Figures are for illustrative purposes only. Calculations based on average consumption figures for an urban home with a 24-hour standard meter. All discounts and cashback have been applied.
**The fuel mix from Bright Energy, Ecopower, Waterpower, and Community Power have yet to be verified by the CRU.
Last Updated: 22/03/2023
How do I choose an electricity supplier in Ireland?
Apart from the above-mentioned pricing aspect, there are a few different factors that you may want to consider when choosing an electricity supplier.
Before starting to compare plans, we recommend you establish your priorities in order to find the best electric provider in Ireland to suit your needs.
Let's have a look at some of the main factors you should consider when switching electricity providers. While some of these seem obvious, others can easily be overlooked. For more insight, you can also head to our guide on how to compare electricity suppliers in Ireland.
- Cost — Is it the cheapest electricity or gas offer on the market?
- Customer service — Does the gas or electricity supplier provide high-quality customer support in Ireland?
- Energy sources — Does the Irish energy supplier get its energy from renewable sources?
- Exit fees — All Irish energy suppliers charge an exit fee unless you're out of contract. This fee is typically €50 per fuel.
- Rewards - If you are hesitating between providers, you can always examine if they have any rewards programme. The larger electricity suppliers like Bord Gáis Energy and Electric Ireland have extensive rewards for their customers.
Renewable electricity suppliers in Ireland
While all energy produced goes into the same grid, the electricity suppliers in Ireland that offer 100% renewable electricity have paid for renewable electricity only. This ensures more demand for renewable energy sources and drives cash toward generating them.
100% renewable electricity companies in Ireland include the following:
- Energia
- Panda Power
- SSE Airtricity
- Pinergy
- Community Power
- Ecopower
- Waterpower
Unsurprisingly, given our weather, all of these suppliers are listed as wind electricity companies. Although not a 100% renewable energy company, only Bord Gáis is investing in solar energy solutions.
Privately owned corporations try to do their share and help the environment as well. Some of the larger solar energy companies in Ireland that have invested in solar panel generated solutions are:
- Butlers Chocolates
- Kingspan Insulation
- Ikea
- Apple
- Target
Which electricity suppliers also provide gas?
Electricity suppliers in Ireland that also provide gas are known as dual fuel suppliers. Just because these energy suppliers provide both fuels doesn't mean you have to contract both — you can also choose to contract just a single fuel.
If your household has both gas and electricity, we recommend going with a dual fuel supplier for your energy. This will make it easier for you to manage your energy. Some energy suppliers in Ireland even offer dual fuel discounts, which allow you to save more than you would if you contracted your gas and electricity with separate suppliers.
In the table below, you will find the electricity providers in Ireland list who are also dual fuel providers. We also examine the offers for Pay As You Go (PAYG) plans.
| Supplier | Dual Fuel | Single Fuel | Dual PAYG | Single PAYG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bord Gáis Energy | ||||
| Community Power | ||||
| Electric Ireland | ||||
| Energia | ||||
| Flogas | ||||
| Glowpower | ||||
| Panda Power | ||||
| Pinergy | ||||
| PrePayPower | ||||
| SSE Airtricity |
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Gas suppliers in Ireland
Before the Irish gas market was deregulated in 2007, Bord Gáis Eireann was Ireland's only gas provider.
As with ESB, Bord Gáis Eireann was forced to cede over 50% of its customer base to new suppliers entering the market before being allowed to compete for customers again. It has since rebranded as Bord Gáis Energy.
- 2007 - The Irish gas market opens to competition. Flogas enters this domestic market.
- 2010 - SSE Airtricity enters the domestic gas market.
- 2011 - Electric Ireland enters the gas market.
- 2014 - Energia enters the gas market.
- 2016 - PrePayPower enters the gas market.
- 2017 - Just Energy launches in the gas market.
- 2018 - Panda Power enters the gas market.
- 2019 - Iberdrola launches in the gas market. Flogas acquires Just Energy customers.
- 2022 - Bright Energy and Iberdrola leave the Irish energy market.
Business electricity and gas providers in Ireland
So far, we have only written about residential electricity companies in Ireland. There are also gas and electricity suppliers who focus solely on businesses. The business energy suppliers in Ireland include the following:
- Arden Energy
- Go Power
- Naturgy
Of these three electricity providers, only Naturgy provides gas plans for businesses.
The same principles that apply to residential plans will apply to businesses. This means you will want to compare prices between these electricity providers to see which has the best offers.
On top of pricing, you will want to also look at customer reviews to determine which of these is the best energy provider in Ireland for your business.
History and the future for energy companies in Ireland
Before the electricity market opened to full competition in 2005, ESB was the sole electricity provider in Ireland. Competition between electricity suppliers in Ireland is lightyears from that of our neighbours in the UK who deregulated much sooner.
Let's have a look at when different electricity providers entered the market in Ireland.
- 2005 - The electricity market opens to competition.
- 2008 - SSE Airtricity enters the domestic electricity market.
- 2009 - Bord Gáis Energy enters the domestic electricity market.
- 2011 - The domestic electricity market is deregulated.
- 2012 - PrePayPower enters the electricity market. The retail arm of ESB rebrands as Electric Ireland.
- 2013 - Pinergy enters the domestic electricity market.
- 2014 - Energia enters the domestic electricity market.
- 2015 - Panda Power enters the domestic electricity market.
- 2017 - BE Energy and Just Energy launch in the electricity market.
- 2018 - Flogas enters the Irish electricity market.
- 2019 - Iberdrola, Glowpower & Community Power enter the electricity market. Flogas acquires Just Energy.
- 2020 - Bright Energy launches in July. Flogas acquires BE Energy.
- 2021 - Ecopower joins the domestic electricity market.
- 2022 - Bright Energy and Iberdrola leave the Irish market.
It was hoped that making the market more competitive would lower our expensive electricity rates, but due to a combination of factors affecting Irish energy prices, it hasn’t really worked out that way.
In the graph below, you can see the average electricity price in Ireland compared to the rest of the EU in the second half of 2021, according to Eurostat. Prices are expressed in euros per kWh. All prices are inclusive of taxes, levies, and VAT.
Due to the current global energy crisis, it is uncertain how ISEM affects our electricity prices. Gas pricing could also be affected due to a high reliance on Britain for imported gas.
All this can distract from the issue at hand of reducing our carbon emissions and greatly increasing our use of renewable energy.
But it’s not all doom and gloom, as the Celtic Interconnector has arrived on our horizon to brighten our futures.
What is the Celtic Interconnector?
Put simply, it’s a submarine power and fibre cable which will connect southern Ireland to the northwest coast of France (most probably to Brittany, one of the six recognised Celtic nations, hence the title).
The Celtic Interconnector will greatly improve the security of Irish electricity supply, lower supply costs, and help develop renewable energy more as both countries will be able to benefit from and encourage renewable electricity generation from either end of the cable. Feasibility studies for the Interconnector have been completed, and the project is now in the planning process. The planning process is said to last until 2022. This will be followed by the construction of the cable which is expected to be operational by 2026.
Whatever the changes to come to energy providers in Ireland, Selectra is here to keep you informed.
Selectra can help you save money on your energy bills.
Our energy advisers can help you find a better energy offer for your home.
Selectra can help you save money on your energy bills.
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