Beat the Price Increases and Save Money on Electricity in 2026
Don't let rising electricity costs catch you out. Call Selectra today for expert advice on switching providers and finding the cheapest deal on electricity. Prices shown include recently announced price increases and cashback offers.
Variable Rate + €265 Cashback
35% discount + €115 Cashback
32% Discount + €160 Cashback
SSE Airtricity offer a range of smart meter plans including, 24hr, time-of-use and EV night boost plans. SSE Airtricity’s cheapest smart meter rate is their Everyday Smart Plan with a 24hr rate of 26.73c per kWh, including a 35% discount for new customers. If you are looking to switch electricity provider, you can call 📞(01) 913 1771.
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SSE Airtricity offer a range of smart meter plans including:
Below are the current rates for new customers, with a typical 35% welcome discount applied.
Figures are based on average annual usage of 4,200 kWh.
| Plan Type | Day Rate (c/kWh) | Night Rate (c/kWh) | Peak (5pm-7pm) | Est. Annual Bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Everyday | 26.73c | 26.73c | 26.73c | €1,412 |
| Smart Day/Night/Peak | 28.29c | 18.18c | 31.69c | €1,337 |
| Smart EV Max | 28.00c | 8.00c (11pm-5am) | 32.00c | Variable |
| Smart Weekends | 27.72c | 17.50c | 30.50c | €1,506 |
Rates include 9% VAT and the 2026 PSO Levy. Estimates are for Urban meters.
Half Price Weekend Rates
SSE Airtiricty's Smart Weekend plan offer discounted unit rates on Saturdays and Sundays on top of a 25% discount on unit rates from Monday to Friday.
SSE Airtricity currently offers some of the most competitive smart discounts in Ireland, with a 35% unit rate reduction for new customers in their first year.
While providers like Yuno Energy often lead on the lowest "base" rate, SSE Airtricity's Smart EV Max plan remains a top contender for the cheapest night-charging rates in 2026.
| Supplier | Offer Details | Selectra Score | Estimated Annual Bill |
|---|---|---|---|
 Energia Smart Drive |
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284.11 € Call to Compare Prices | |
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Unit Rate
Standing Charge
Urban: € / Year
Rural: € / Year |
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 Pinergy Lifestyle EV Drive |
|
302.56 € Call to Compare Prices | |
| See more Hide | |||
|
Unit Rate
Standing Charge
Urban: € / Year
Rural: € / Year |
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 SSE Airtricity Smart EV |
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353.85 € Call to Compare Prices | |
| See more Hide | |||
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Unit Rate
Standing Charge
Urban: € / Year
Rural: € / Year |
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 Bord Gais Smart EV Electricity |
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383.68 € Call to Compare Prices | |
| See more Hide | |||
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Unit Rate
Standing Charge
Urban: € / Year
Rural: € / Year |
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 Smart Electricity |
|
 |
1247.72 € Call to Compare Prices |
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Unit Rate
Urban Day: 0.2581 € / kWh
Rural Day: 0.2581 € / kWh Urban Night: 0.1356 € / kWh Rural Night: 0.1356 € / kWh Urban Peak: 0.2754 € / kWh Rural Peak: 0.2754 € / kWh Standing Charge
Urban: 230.06 € / Year
Rural: 288.97 € / Year |
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Smart Electricity |
|
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1264.19 € Call to Compare Prices |
| See more Hide | |||
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Unit Rate
Urban Day: 0.255 € / kWh
Rural Day: 0.255 € / kWh Urban Night: 0.1402 € / kWh Rural Night: 0.1402 € / kWh Urban Peak: 0.2864 € / kWh Rural Peak: 0.2864 € / kWh Standing Charge
Urban: 241.15 € / Year
Rural: 306.68 € / Year |
*Figures are for illustrative purposes only. Calculations based on average consumption figures (4200 kWh) for an urban home with a smart meter. All new customer discounts have been applied.
Read more about the Selectra Score.
When making your final choice, remember to look beyond the unit rate:
Yes. Like all electricity plans in Ireland, SSE Airtricity's smart meter tariffs include a standing charge.
This is a fixed daily cost that covers the overheads of maintaining the national grid and the supply network. You pay this amount regardless of how much electricity you consume.
SSE Airtricity's standing charges vary based on your location (Urban vs. Rural) and your meter configuration:
| Meter Category | Annual Charge (Inc. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Urban Smart Meter | €263.86 |
| Rural Smart Meter | €331.20 |
Prices include 9% VAT. Rates verified as of February 2026.
Have you been a customer of SSE Airtricity? Leave your review here!
To move to a "Smart Lifestyle" plan, you must have a smart meter installed by ESB Networks.
If you are still using an older analog meter, you can request an upgrade through the SSE Airtricity website.
For Existing SSE Airtricity Customers:
For New Customers Switching to SSE Airtricity:
If you encounter issues during the online process, you can contact the SSE Airtricity Sales Team at 0818 81 81 10 or their Customer Service team at 0818 81 22 20 (Mon-Fri, 8am-6:30pm).
Need Help with Your SSE Account?
Switching to an SSE smart plan unlocks features designed for a modern, digital-first home:
This plan is the "safety net" for Irish families. It functions exactly like a traditional 24-hour plan but utilises the smart meter's data capabilities.
It is ideal if you cannot shift your energy usage away from the dinner-time peak (5pm to 7pm).
This "Time-of-Use" plan is the most popular choice for 2026. To see real savings, you should aim to move at least 20% of your usage to the night window (11pm–8am).
Running your dishwasher and tumble dryer after 11pm is the most effective strategy here.
Designed for the growing number of EV drivers, this plan offers a "Super-Off-Peak" window between 11pm and 5am.
At roughly 8c per unit, it is the cheapest electricity currently available in the Irish market, provided you have a home charger or battery storage.
No. Once you activate smart services (moving your meter to the MCC12 or MCC16 interval profile), you cannot revert to a traditional legacy manual-read plan.
However, SSE Airtricity offers the Smart Everyday plan, which uses the same flat-rate pricing as a standard 24-hour plan while still providing the data insights of a smart meter.
Most SSE Airtricity smart plans are 12-month fixed-term contracts. If you switch to a different supplier or terminate your agreement before the year is up, a termination charge of €50 per utility typically applies.
There is, however, a 14-day "cooling-off" period after you sign up where you can cancel without any penalty.
In most cases, no. Your smart meter is designed to send readings automatically to ESB Networks, which then shares them with SSE Airtricity.
However, it can take up to 30 days after installation for the remote communication to be fully established. During this window, or if your home has low mobile signal (Level 1 connectivity), you may still be asked to submit a manual reading to ensure your bill is 100% accurate.
There is no upfront charge for the installation of a smart meter.
The national rollout is managed by ESB Networks and the cost is recovered over several years through the "Use of System" charges already included in every Irish electricity bill. You will never be asked by an installer for payment at your door.
As of 2026, smart meter plans in Ireland are only available for electricity.
If you are a dual-fuel customer, your gas will continue to be billed on a standard rate based on manual or estimated readings, even if your electricity is on a high-tech "Smart EV" or "Weekender" plan.
Read More of our SSE Airtricity Articles
The services and products mentioned on this website may only represent a small selection of the options available to you. Selectra encourages you to carry out your own research and seek advice if necessary before making any decisions. We may receive commission from selected partner providers on sales of some products and/or services mentioned within this website. Our website is free to use, and the commission we receive does not affect our opinion or the information we provide.
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