Switching Electricity Providers

J

JimmyCorkhill

Registered User
Messages
74
Hi,
Been in current house for just under two years and due to one of us working from home 3/4 days a week, we have been on a 24 hour plan for the last two years.
We have a Smart Meter but have not been on a Smart Plan, yet.

I have thrown the two years of data into Energypal and also Bonkers. Energypal offers are from a month ago so not as up to date as Bonkers.

Either way, including cash backs it seems to be suggesting I am best suited to a Smart Plan of some sort and maybe with a Day/Night/Peak rate.

The only thing I am not clear on is when looking at Bonkers it says all the plans are variable rate type, which presumably means the rate currently being quoted is not fixed for the next 12 months?
Whereas with the 24hr plan I was on for the last two years, it was a fixed rate. I like the certainty of a rate being fixed I guess.

Is it normal enough to have a variable rate type?

Thanks
 
Thanks both.
@theresa1 I understand that alright about being unable to switch back once I activate a Smart Plan, but excuse my ignorance, what are the long term impacts of that? If switching to a Smart Plan now is going to save me money now, what else should I be considering?
 
Just be aware that sites like bonkers aren't able to deal with day/night/peak rates, they just make assumptions on the splits which render them useless.

I was on one of those day/night/peak rates, but it didn't give as much benefit as I'd hoped. Energia have switched me to a 24 hour rate which is working out much better.
 
JimmyCorkhill said:
Energypal offers are from a month ago so not as up to date as Bonkers.
Click to expand...
Are you sure about this? I've usually found it up to date. If you contact the guy who created it then he might be able to update it if necessary. I've always found him very responsive when I've contacted him.

You could also try this similar site:

Custom Electricity Price Comparison – Easy and Accurate so You Save More

Find the cheapest electricity deal in Ireland ⚡️ Quickly compare standard & smart tariffs and save up to €871 today. No kickbacks, no cookies – just the cheapest deals in minutes.
kilowatt.ie kilowatt.ie
 
@JimmyCorkhill 'lower prices at certain times, can be more expensive at peak times' - It seems more about punishing people for using electricity between 5pm-7pm and I live alone and don't have an electric car and I just won't save trying to switch my usage to a Free weekend period or late at night. One big benefit is that you don't have a meter reader calling anymore and I already have that.
Eventually I would imagine they will make a big push to try and get everybody to switch and simply force up the prices on non smart plans. The 24 hour smart plans are to try and get people to make the jump as well. Again in future they can turn around and say - ,sorry no more 24 hour plans with smart plans - must be Time of Use (ToU)'.
 
Fortune said:
Just be aware that sites like bonkers aren't able to deal with day/night/peak rates, they just make assumptions on the splits which render them useless.

I was on one of those day/night/peak rates, but it didn't give as much benefit as I'd hoped. Energia have switched me to a 24 hour rate which is working out much better.
Click to expand...
Bonkers now has the capability to import the usage data file generated by ESBNetworks. This file breaks down your usage to day/peak/night even if you are not on a smart plan or not have an activated smart meter. Bonkers require 12 months of data.
To avail of this facility you have to register your MPRN on ESBNetworks. Registering your MPRN does not activate your smart meter.
 
Fortune said:
Just be aware that sites like bonkers aren't able to deal with day/night/peak rates, they just make assumptions on the splits which render them useless.
Click to expand...
With bonkers you can import usage details now, so I had imported two years of data
ClubMan said:
Are you sure about this? I've usually found it up to date. If you contact the guy who created it then he might be able to update it if necessary. I've always found him very responsive when I've contacted him.
Click to expand...
When I looked at it yesterday it has an Updated column to the far right and most of the dates for the plans are May. Maybe I interpreted that incorrectly as meaning when the site last checked the details of the plan.
 
For me the "smart" plans are far better value than the 24hour rate

The "day" and "peak" rates are not much different to the 24 hour non smart rates, but you have the added benefit of low rates from 11pm to 8am.

Quite easy to switch some heavy use to the 11pm-8am slots. Immersion/power showers (both very heavy users of electricity), washing machine / dishwasher / tumbler dryer. Many have timers, so easy to have them start at circa 6am so that they can be running as you awake, and avoids the "middle of night" worry if a machine malfunctions.


A lot of this "we don't want to sign up to a smart plan" comes from mis-information from the usual anti-anything crew and people not working it out themselves.


Here's the current discounted rates from Energia & Electric Ireland (airtricity are about 10-20% more expensive, so should simply be ignored)

Energia 1st, EI 2nd

Non Smart 24 hour rate 25.51 / 25.71

Smart 24 hour rate 25.09 / 23.82

day/peak/off-peak
Smart Day rate 25.21 / 25.92
Smart Peak 5pm-7pm 26.42 / 27.65
Smart Off peak 11pm - 8am 13.49 / 13.62


Unless you are a very heavy day user and use hardly anything between 11pm & 8am, a day/peak/night smart rate can save about €300 a year with minor changes to times of use.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top