A low usage electricity account is one that used less than 150kWh of energy, in every three-month period (known as ‘quarters’) between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023. This amount of energy is roughly what you would use over three months if;
- you had a fridge-freezer plugged in
- you boiled a kettle twice a day, and
- you had one light bulb on for two hours a day.[2]
You will also receive the credit if you have a microgeneration account. If you have a microgeneration account (for example, you have solar panels on your roof and you have registered these with ESB Networks), you will not be on the low usage list and will receive the credit.
[1] This calculation is made by ESB Networks for each domestic electricity meter, so it will be based on electricity used at your property between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023, even if you were not living there at the time.
[2] See https://switcher.ie/gas-electricity/guides/kilowatt-hours-kwh-explained/ for how much energy different appliances use. For our example, a typical fridge-freezer uses 1 kWh per day (90 kWh in 90 days), a kettle uses 0.25 kWh per boil (45 kWh in 90 days if boiled twice a day) and a 100W light bulb uses 1 kWh in 10 hours (if turned on for 2 hours a day, in 90 days this would use 18 kWh).