What Are Electric Ireland's Pay As You Go Rates?

By Cormac Breen

Content Manager

Electric Ireland are offering a Pay As You Go rate of 35.83c /kWh on their Smart PAYG Electricity plan. They are also offering a day rate of 38.26c per kWh, and a night rate of 18.87c per kWh on their Night Smart PAYG plan. Electric Ireland also charge an annual Pay As You Go service charge of €131.45 in addition to a standing charge and PSO levy. To contact Electric Ireland about PAYG services, you can contact them on 1800 30 50 90.

What Are the Electric Ireland PAYG Rates?

Electric Ireland as Ireland largest electricity supplier is offering two price plans for PAYG customers:

1. SPAYG Electricity
2. SPAYG Nightsaver

Pay As You Go

EAB from

€1,883

/year

Variable

Urban Meter

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SPAYG Electricity Urban

• Unit Rate: 34.74c /kWh
• Standing Charge: €250.76
• Prepay Service: €131.45
• EAB: €1,883

Pay As You Go

EAB from

€1,948

/year

Variable

Rural Meter

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SPAYG Electricity Rural

• Unit Rate: 34.74c /kWh
• Standing Charge: €314.98
• Prepay Service: €131.45
• EAB: €1,948

Last updated: February, 2025
EAB calculated based on average electricity usage (4,200 kWh) with VAT and PSO Levy included.

What Are the Electric Ireland SPAYG Rate?

Electric Ireland's Smart Pay As You Go plan offers a standard rate of 35.83c /kWh with an estimated annual bill of €1,902 on an urban meter and, €1,966 on a rural meter.

This estimate also includes the annual standing charge of €250.77 for an urban meter and €314.98 for a rural meter.

What Are the Electric Ireland SPAYG Nightsaver Rate?

Electric Ireland's Smart PAYG Nightsaver plan offers a day rate of 38.26c /kWh and a night rate of 18.87 /kWh with an estimated annual bill of €1,663 on an urban meter and, €1,735 on a rural meter.

The SPAYG Nightsaver hours with Electric Ireland are:

• Winter day hours: 8 am to 11 pm
• Winter night hours:11 pm to 8 am
• Summer day hours: 9 am to Midnight
• Summer night hours: Midnight to 9 am

How Do the Electric Ireland PAYG Rates Compare?

Electric Ireland currently has the second-cheapest Pay As You Go tariff on the market, compared to the other PAYG providers, PrepayPower and Pinergy.

💰 Cheapest Prepayment Electricity Offer per Supplier

Supplier	Best Offer	Price per year
	Standard	€1,853.07
	Smarter Prepay Electricity	€1,883.93
	Standard	€2,043.98
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*Figures are for illustrative purposes only. Calculations based on average consumption figures for an urban home with a PAYG meter. All discounts and cashback have been applied.
Last updated: April 2025

Is Electric Ireland Pay As You Go Expensive?

While Electric Ireland have one of the cheaper Pay As You Go plans on the market, PAYG electricity is normally much more expensive than standard electricity prices.

Compared to Electric Ireland's cheapest, standard electricity rates for €1,246 per year, switching energy plans to their PAYG plan would be over €600 more expensive.

In addition to more expensive unit rates and higher annual bills, PAYG price plans often contain more additional fixed costs than standard electricity plans:

1. Electricity Standing Charge
   It is a charge you pay for daily for having your property’s electricity connected to the grid. This is €250.77 for urban customers and €314.98 for rural customers.
2. PAYG Service Charge
   This covers the cost of maintaining your PAYG meter. This is currently €131.45 a year with Electric Ireland.
3. PSO Levy
   The Public Service Obligation (PSO) is a government that mandate supports generating electricity from renewable sources. The PSO Levy is currently set at €0.

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How Does the Electric Ireland Emergency Credit Work?

If your credit is about to run out, and you don’t have time to top up, there is no need to worry as Electric Ireland provides a €20 emergency credit offer when your meter goes below €3.

To get emergency credit, just follow these steps:

1. Press ‘A’ and then ‘B’ on your Smarter Pay As You Go meter when prompted to
2. Press accept on your In Home Monitor

Any emergency credit used will be deducted from your next top-up.

If you choose to ignore the emergency credit, your power will be shut off when the meter reaches zero.

Does Electric Ireland Pay As You Go Have Friendly Credit?

Friendly credit refers to certain dates and times that Electric Ireland will not cut you off if you use up all your credit and emergency credit.

Friendly credit hours are:

1. Weekday Hours
   Monday to Thursday from 5 pm to 9 am, late March to October, and from 4 pm to 8 am starting late October until late March. On Fridays, from 5 pm on until 9 am on Monday morning.
2. Holiday Hours
   Certain dates and holidays: 1st January (New Year’s Day), 17th March (St. Patrick’s Day), 24th December (Christmas Eve), 25th December (Christmas Day), 26th December (St. Stephen’s Day), 31st December (New Year’s Eve).

Please note that bank holidays are not credit friendly days, and as such, if you run out of both credit and emergency credit on those days, your electricity and/or gas supply will be cut off.

What Is the Electric Ireland Contact Information?

If you should experience any issues with topping up, or wish to make a complaint or enquire about Electric Ireland pay as you go, you can contact Electric Ireland by the following: