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You sure can! Whether you are a household, community, business, public or private building user, if you currently buy electricity anywhere on the island of Ireland, you can switch and buy your electricity from Community Power.
You can switch in 3 simple steps. Click here to get started.
Meter
There are three main types of electricity meters in use as per the ESB Networks –
- Mechanical revolving disc meters
- Electronic meters
- Pay as You Go meters
Click here to read our handy guide on how to read your electricity meter. If you’re not sure what kind of meter you have, please read on.
What type of meter do I have?
To identify the type of meter you have, look at the descriptions below. To find out how to read your meter, select the relevant option.
Mechanical Meter
This meter is the most common type of meter in domestic dwellings. It has a revolving disc and one row of numbers. There are two different types – 24 Hr Revolving Disc Meter and Time of Day Meter.
Business customers may have a Wattless Meter installed. The Wattless meter is distinguished from Standard Meters or Day & Night Meters by the letters kVArh located near its register and is read in the same way.
24 Hour Meter or Day and Night Meter
Electronic Meter
For most commercial and some industrial premises, Non Quarter Hourly (NQH) metering is used. Many of these meters have electronic registers with one electronic meter display capable of scrolling through multiple register readings. Larger customers may also have additional current transformers. Electronic meters are also installed in some domestic premises.
Pay As You Go Meter
Your electricity supplier may arrange for a Pay as You Go meter to be installed at your premises. Each Pay as You Go meter has two elements, a customer keypad and an ESB Networks main meter.
It is important to note that even if you have a Pay as You Go meter, a meter reader will still call to read the main meter.
Watch our Video More Information
Safety Tip
Please be careful when reading your meter, especially if it is up high or in an inaccessible place.
Smart Meters
A Smart Meter will enable the move to a low-carbon electricity network, the development of smart grids and support the electrification of heat and transport, local renewable generation and micro generation. ‘It will also eliminate the need for estimated bills. The ESB Networks with the roll-out of the National Smart Metering Programme (NSMP) involves replacing all existing electricity meters with Smart Enabled Meters. The roll out programme will be delivered in a phased approach, commencing with an initial delivery of 250,000 meters in 2019 – 2020 (they will begin in Cork, Laois and Kildare) and approximately 500,000 meters in each of the 4 subsequent years.
Ireland’s smart meter upgrade programme will ensure that customers and businesses are provided with the next generation of electricity meters that are being rolled out across Europe and internationally. This new technology will replace older meters and will make available new products and services bringing benefits to Irish consumers, the environment and the economy. Smart meters will make the supplier switching process easier and empower consumers to make a more informed choice for their energy needs. Smart metering will also enable the development of the smart grid and facilitate more flexible, reliable and better network planning. Smart meters in Ireland are not currently enabled to record microgeneration export, and you cannot request a smart meter for your property.
You can read more about the smart meter roll out here.
Billing
In order to display a ‘fuel mix’ specific to Community Power we are required to make a submission to Single Electricity Market (SEMO) to have our own bespoke fuel mix calculated. The calculations are always done for the previous year and therefore we need to be in operation for a full year in order to make the calculation meaningful.
Any supplier who has not applied to SEMO for their Fuel mix disclosure must display the ‘Residual Fuel Mix’ on their bills and this is compared to the ‘All Island Average’ fuel mix. As a result, the Fuel Mix figures displayed on our Community Power bills do not accurately reflect the renewable content of our generation and supply
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) considers the residual fuel mix as “the fuel mix which is left over from the All-Island fuel mix after individual supplier’s fuel mixes have been calculated.”
The majority of our current generators are hydro generators and following our success in the ‘community pot’ of the Renewable Energy Support Scheme (RESS) auction in September 2020, we intend to build 2 X 5MW Community Owned Solar Farms in 2021.
Our goal is to generate Irish community owned renewable energy as opposed to offsetting international renewable generation to improve our Fuel Mix credentials.
We will bill you monthly by direct debit. We can send your bill via email or post. When you sign up it will ask for your preference.
Payment will be processed and taken from your account 14 days after your bill issue date.
EAB means the Estimated Annual Bill. It is a way for customers to be able to compare and contrast tariffs between electricity suppliers. It is designed based on the CRU’s (Customer Regulatory Organisation of Ireland) typical annual consumption figures for electricity. This is 4,200 kWh of electricity per annum. This is used as a guideline for the customer.
(Unit Rate x CRU typical annual electricity consumption value) + (Standing Charge + Service Charge + PSO) X 365 days
* The calculations above are based on CRU approved annual consumption figures (4200 kWh’s p.a.). These figures may not reflect your actual consumption
* The prices outlined in the calculations are inclusive of VAT
* For the purposes of calculating Day/Night values we have used the assumption of (Day -50% usage) and (Night -50% usage)
DUoS stands for Distribution Use of System. A DUoS charge is a fee that ESB Networks charges Community Power for use of the Electricity Distribution System. Community Power will pass this on to you in your Electricity Bill.
The amount of DUoS that ESB Networks charges Community Power for each customer depends on which DUoS Group a customer is classified as, which can be based on several factors including the voltage a premises is connected at, the type of meter installed, or if electricity is exported.
DUoS Group Name Description
DG1 Urban Domestic Customers
DG2 Rural Domestic Customers
DG3 Unmetered Public Lighting
DG4 Other Unmetered Connections
DG5 Low Voltage Non-Domestic Non-MD Customers
DG5A Low Voltage Non-Domestic Non-MD Autoproducers (Exporters)
DG5B Low Voltage Non-Domestic Non-MD Autoproducers (Importers)
DG6 Low Voltage Non-Domestic MD Customers
DG6A Low Voltage Non-Domestic MD Autoproducers (Exporters)
DG6B Low Voltage Non-Domestic MD Autoproducers (Importers).
This package of allowances is in regards to the costs of running your household. The package is available to everyone aged over 70 and to people under age 70 in certain circumstances.
If you change your electricity supplier, it is your responsibility to notify the Department of this change. You must provide proof of your new energy provider (utility bill in your name) from the change date.
If you have a question relating to this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0761 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm) .
When you want to close your account or are moving to a new house, you need to take the following steps:
Step 1. You will need to give us notice by phone, email or post.
Step 2. The closure notice must include the following: – Your name and MPRN number (see top of latest Bill) – A closing meter reading – Forwarding address so we can send you your final bill.
We will only accept a termination notice from the authorised account holder or the nominated representative that we have on record. If you cannot provide a final reading you will be final billed based on an estimated reading provided to us, by ESB Networks Ireland.
In the unlikely event that you don’t inform us that you are moving out you will be held responsible for any energy used up to the date the meter is disconnected for vacancy or a new customer moves into the premises. We will pursue unpaid debts using our debt collection procedures. All unpaid debts will be subject to our normal debt collection procedures.
We may withhold supplying energy or opening an account with us in your name until all outstanding debt is paid. You may not be able to open a new account in a new premise with us until all your outstanding debt is paid. Unpaid debts may be transferred to a new account and this will depend on individual circumstances.
Step 3. Once we have a final reading and a forwarding address, we will issue you with your final bill no later than six weeks from the effective date of the change of supplier or account closure taking place.
Your final bill will include information about any credit due to you. We will refund any credit owing to you, either directly into your bank or if you require a cheque payment, please contact us on 067 56005. We will make any credit payment to you within 2 months of your final bill date.
Generating
Electricity Networks & Regulations
The MPRN is an 11 digit number which can be found at the top of an electricity bill or can be gotten by a landlord or by phoning the ESBN. It is a unique number that is specific to a property. This number is required for any general enquiry and also if your are switching suppliers.
The CRU has a statutory responsibility to protection energy consumers. One way the CRU discharges this responsibility is through the Electricity and Gas Suppliers’ Handbook. The Handbook acts as the ‘rulebook’ for suppliers with regard to all interactions with energy customers. The Handbook is a mix of principles and rules which all suppliers must adhere to.
The Handbook is split into a number of codes of practice for issues such as billing, disconnections, complaint handling, vulnerable customers, etc. The Handbook also contains a number of codes for non-household customers which suppliers must also comply with providing protections for small and medium sized businesses (SMEs).
The CRU manages the Handbook and conducts reviews to take account of developments in the energy market. The most recent review of the Handbook was conducted in 2016/17 and was subject to a number of rounds of public consultation and engagement with industry and consumer interest groups.
ESBN ensures that electricity gets to homes and businesses of our 2.3million electricity customers, safely and efficiently. They have invested billions in the electricity network over the last 10 years so communities and businesses can grow and develop. https://www.esbnetworks.ie/
ESB Networks continues to operate normally however we are taking precautions like remote working so we may not be able to respond to your query as quickly as possible. We are asking our customers to use the various digital platforms as the first point of contact for routine services and general enquiries:
- To report a power outage click https://www.esbnetworks.ie/apps/faultlogging
- If you have a power outage, you can check for an estimated restoration time here https://www.esb.ie/esb-networks/powercheck/
- To apply for a New Connection click here https://www.esbnetworks.ie/new-connections
- To track a New Connection click here https://www.esbnetworks.ie/new-connections
- To send in a meter reading: Phone 1800 337 777 (021 2386444) OR click https://www.esbnetworks.ie/existing-connection/meters-readings/submit-a-meter-reading OR email: reading@esb.ie ; OR TEXT your reading to 087 960 9223 in the format: MPRN (space), Reading.
- For general enquires : phone 1800 372 757 (021 2386555) OR Email esbnetworks@esb.ie (open 8.30am to 6 pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am to 1.30pm on Saturday excluding public holidays).
- For Smart Metering queries: phone 1800 928 123 (01 6985005) Monday-Friday 8.30am – 6pm, excluding public holidays.
- We are also available on Twitter @esbnetworks and Facebook: @ESBNetworks
- For more information and further safety information you can check our website www.esbnetworks.ie
For Faults and Emergencies call 1800 372 999, OR 021 2382410 (available 24 hours, 7 days a week).
Price Changes
1 – What is the price increase being applied?
A price increase of 14% will be applied to all non-smart tariffs. We will not be increasing our Standing Charge.
2 – When will the price increase come into effect?
Community Power will be increasing our prices with effect from 14th August 2021.
3 – How much extra will I be paying for my electricity?
The table below outlines our revised KW/h Tariff Rates with price increase applied
| Updated KWh Unit Rates | ||
| Standard Rates | Price (ex Vat)/Kwh | Price (inc Vat)/Kwh |
| Standard Rate 24hr | 18.58c | 21.09c |
| Standard Rate- Day | 19.95c | 22.64c |
| Standard Rate-Night | 9.86c | 11.19c |
| Standing Charges | Prices (ex Vat)/day | Prices (inc Vat)/day |
| Standing charge – Urban | 40.27c | 45.71c |
| Standing charge – Rural | 46.60c | 52.89c |
| Estimate Annual Bill (EAB) | Prices (ex Vat) | Prices (Inc Vat) |
| Urban 24 hr Tariff | €1,005.68 | €1,141.45 |
| Rural 24 hr Tariff | €1,028.72 | €1,167.60 |
| Urban Day/Night Tariff | €851.27 | €966.19 |
| Rural Day/Night Tariff | €874.31 | €992.34 |
Community Power will increase our average residential electricity bill by 14% from the 14th of August 2021. This equates to an increase of €87.26 per annum or €7.27 per month (inclusive of VAT) and is based on an average residential electricity usage of 4,200 kWh per annum for a Day/night tariff, as defined by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU).
4 – How will the price increase be displayed on my bill?
You will receive 2 X bills for August 2021 consumption.
Bill 1: This bill will relate to consumption ‘Pre Price’ change (1st to 13th August 2021).
Bill 2: This bill will relate to consumption ‘Post Price’ change (14th to 31st of August 2021)
5 – Why is the price of electricity increasing?
At Community Power we have tried to retain our customer pricing for as long as possible since we launched in early 2020. We have not put our prices up when others did. Unfortunately, due to unprecedented price increases for electricity in the wholesale market, we, like all other Energy providers in the ROI market, have been forced to increase our prices. The main reason for this increase is that wholesale price of electricity has increased by 57% between December 2020 and June 2021 and it would appear that the wholesale market price will remain stubbornly high in the short to medium term. Recent price increases by Energy providers across the market range from 9% to 18%. For all those on our Standard 15-11-19 tariffs, we will be implementing a price increase of 14% effective from 14th of August 2021. We are however, only increasing our Non-Smart Prices so those who have a smart meter and are on a smart product will not be impacted at this stage.
Vulnerable Customers
Please note, if you are registering as a vulnerable customer, we reserve the right to ask for medical certification to confirm.
If you have any questions, please phone 067 56005