Best Electricity Provider in Ireland
On price alone, SSE Airtricity is the best electricity provider in Ireland right now, at about €1473 a year for a typical 4,200 kWh home on its new-customer plan. For solar homes it is SSE Airtricity on export rate (19.50 c/kWh), for low-usage homes Yuno Energy on standing charge (€219.22/year), and for pay-as-you-go PrePayPower. The full ranking is below.
"Best" means different things to different households. The cheapest year-one deal is rarely the best for customer service; the best for solar owners depends entirely on the export rate; the best for a low-usage home hinges on the standing charge. Below we break down the five things that actually decide it, then rank Ireland's suppliers on each so you can pick the best provider for your situation.
Last verified 12 September 2026
Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy
Quick Answer
SSE Airtricity is the best electricity provider in Ireland on price right now, at roughly €1473 a year for a typical 4,200 kWh home (28.79 c/kWh plus €263.86/year). There is no single best provider for everyone, because it depends what you are optimising for: the lowest first-year bill means whoever has the biggest new-customer discount, and you switch again in 12 months. For customer service, Bord Gáis and smaller Irish-owned suppliers tend to rate well. For solar homes, SSE Airtricity pays the highest standard Clean Export Guarantee rate (19.50 c/kWh). For pay-as-you-go, PrePayPower. Always re-compare annually.
Every Irish Electricity Provider Ranked on Price
Estimated first-year cost for a typical 4,200 kWh urban home on each supplier's new-customer 24-hour plan: unit rate × usage plus the standing charge, inclusive of 9% VAT, before any welcome credit. Discounts run for 12 months and then revert to the standard rate, which is typically 20 to 40% higher, so the ranking below is a year-one ranking. Import rates verified 2026-09-12.
| # | Provider | Plan | Unit Rate | Standing Charge | Est. Year-One Cost | CEG Export Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SSE Airtricity | Electricity Top Discount 24h (30% off) | 28.79 c/kWhrises to 31.50 c/kWh, €280.01/yr standing from 5 Oct 2026 | €263.86/year | €1473 | 19.50 c/kWh |
| 2 | Energia | Electricity 24 Hour Discount (30% off) | 29.85 c/kWhrises to 30.45 c/kWh, €278.27/yr standing from 12 Oct 2026 | €265.01/year | €1519 | 18.50 c/kWh |
| 3 | Bord Gáis Energy | New Customer Electricity Discount (26% off) | 30.78 c/kWhrises to 33.58 c/kWh, €262.38/yr standing from 9 Oct 2026 | €244.76/year | €1538 | 18.50 c/kWh |
| 4 | Electric Ireland | EnergySaver 24h Discount (16% off, €60 welcome credit) | 31.95 c/kWh | €250.77/year | €1593 | 19.50 c/kWh |
| 5 | Yuno Energy | Variable Discount Plan 24h (€50 welcome bonus) | 34.85 c/kWh | €219.22/year | €1683 | 17.16 c/kWh |
| 6 | EcoPower | 24 Hour Meter Domestic Discount (10% off) | 35.50 c/kWh | €302.37/year | €1793 | 15.20 c/kWh |
| 7 | Pinergy | Summer PAYG Plan 24h (10% discount, €110 welcome credit) | 37.59 c/kWh | €283.47/year | €1862 | 18.50 c/kWh |
| 8 | Community Power | Standard Variable Rate 24h | 37.88 c/kWh | €302.01/year | €1893 | Not published |
| 9 | PrePayPower | Classic Pay Standard 24h (€100 welcome credit) | 37.62 c/kWh | €342.69/year | €1923 | 15.89 c/kWh |
| 10 | Flogas | Standard Variable Electricity 24h (no new-customer discount listed) | 44.00 c/kWh | €305.68/year | €2154 | 18.50 c/kWh |
Four suppliers have announced increases that take effect between 1 and 9 October 2026, marked above, so the cheapest provider for a switch starting today is not necessarily cheapest for one starting in November. To price every plan against your own half-hourly usage instead of a typical home, use our electricity price comparison calculator, and see cheapest electricity in Ireland for the standing-charge and pay-as-you-go detail.
The Five Things That Decide the Best Provider
Price & discounts
Biggest new-customer discount in year one, then standard rates apply. Switchers should re-compare annually. See our cheapest electricity comparison.
Customer service
CRU publishes complaint statistics by supplier. Smaller Irish-owned suppliers and Bord Gáis tend to score well; very high-growth low-cost entrants more variably.
Billing & payment
Direct debit + e-billing usually unlocks the headline rate. Pay-as-you-go suits some households (PrePayPower); estimated bills are a common complaint elsewhere.
Contract terms
Most standard plans have no exit fee; some smart/bundle tariffs charge ~€50. Always check before signing a fixed deal.
Solar / export rate
If you have panels, the Clean Export Guarantee rate is decisive. Pinergy leads on the standard rate; SSE Airtricity has a higher installer-only tier.
For the price side specifically, see our cheapest electricity in Ireland comparison and our electricity price comparison for every supplier.
Best Electricity Provider by What You Need
| If your priority is… | Look at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest first-year bill | Whoever has the largest new-customer discount | Year-one discounts of 20–40% dwarf the difference in standard rates. Switch again before it expires. |
| Customer service | Bord Gáis Energy, smaller Irish-owned suppliers | Tend to perform better on CRU complaint statistics than the highest-growth low-cost entrants. |
| Pay-as-you-go / budgeting | PrePayPower | Top-up model avoids bill shock; trade-off is a higher effective unit rate. |
| Solar panels | SSE Airtricity (highest standard CEG), or SSE Airtricity if eligible for the installer tier | Export rate is the biggest variable for solar homes, with up to ~10 c/kWh between best and worst. |
| 100% renewable / green tariff | Energia, Community Power, SSE Airtricity green plans | Check the fuel-mix disclosure and whether it's backed by Guarantees of Origin. |
| EV / night charging | Suppliers with a competitive night-rate or EV tariff (requires smart meter) | A cheap night rate can cut EV running costs sharply if you charge overnight. |
Provider profiles, including each supplier's Clean Export Guarantee rate, are linked below.
Every Irish electricity supplier
Best Electricity Provider for Solar Panel Owners
If you have (or are getting) solar panels, the single most important factor is the Clean Export Guarantee rate, which is what your supplier pays for surplus electricity you export. SSE Airtricity currently pays the highest standard rate at 19.50 c/kWh, with monthly bill credits. SSE Airtricity offers a higher tier (~32 c/kWh in year one) but it's restricted to customers of its partner installation programme.
We rank all eleven suppliers on export rate, payment frequency and terms in our electricity providers for solar comparison.
Irish Electricity Price Changes 2026
Every announced change we have verified on the supplier's own site, newest first, with the date it takes effect. The rates on this page were last verified on 12 Sep 2026 and show the current price until each change lands.
- Energia
Electricity and gas prices rise by up to 9.4%. The new-customer 24-hour rate we track goes from 29.85c to 30.45c/kWh and the urban standing charge from €265.01 to €278.27. source
- Bord Gáis Energy
Electricity rises around 9% (typical bill +8.8%). New-customer 24-hour rate 30.78c to 33.58c/kWh; urban standing charge €244.76 to €262.38. source
- SSE Airtricity
Electricity rises around 9%. Top Discount 24-hour rate 28.79c to 31.50c/kWh; urban standing charge €263.86 to €280.01. source
- All suppliers
CRU-approved 2026/27 network charges add about €41.25 a year (€3.44 a month) to a typical domestic electricity bill after the regulator trimmed network revenue allowances by €138 million. Every supplier passes these charges through. source
- All suppliers
PSO levy cut by 66% for the 2026/27 levy year, to €0.51 a month for domestic customers (€6.12 a year ex-VAT, €6.67 inc VAT, down from €19.10). It is charged by every supplier, so it lowers every bill by the same amount. source
- Pinergy
Pinergy says a typical bill rises 7.6%. The 24-hour standard rate goes from 41.77c to 45.80c/kWh (up 9.6% on the unit rate) with the standing charge unchanged. The pay-as-you-go plan we track is priced at 10% off that standard rate. source
- Pinergy
Clean Export Guarantee cut from 25c to 18.5c/kWh, and the EV night rate rose from 5.99c to 10.89c/kWh. source
- Flogas
Electricity and gas rates increased. The standard 24-hour rate is now 44.00c/kWh and Flogas lists no new-customer discount plan; the 28% loyalty discount is for existing customers only. source
- Electric Ireland
Residential electricity up 8% and gas up 7.7%, the first Electric Ireland rise since October 2022, affecting about 1.1 million electricity customers. The EnergySaver 24-hour new-customer rate we track is 31.95c/kWh after the change. source
- Yuno Energy
Electricity up 9.5% and gas up 11%. The Clean Export Guarantee rate rose from 15.89c to 17.16c/kWh (31.32c on the PV Generation partnership tier). source
Full details of each rise, with before-and-after rates, are on the electricity price increases page. The underlying market is tracked daily on the wholesale electricity prices page. No universal energy credit is planned for Budget 2027 on 6 October: see what support exists instead.
Best Electricity Provider in Ireland: Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best electricity provider in Ireland?
There's no single best. It depends on your priority. For the lowest first-year bill, pick whoever has the biggest new-customer discount and switch again in 12 months. For customer service, Bord Gáis and smaller Irish-owned suppliers tend to rate well. For solar homes, SSE Airtricity pays the highest standard export rate. For pay-as-you-go, PrePayPower.
Which electricity supplier has the best customer service in Ireland?
The CRU publishes complaint statistics by supplier each year. Bord Gáis Energy and several smaller Irish-owned suppliers tend to perform well; the highest-growth low-cost entrants are more variable. Check the latest CRU data when choosing.
Is the biggest electricity supplier the best one?
Not necessarily. Electric Ireland (ESB) has the largest customer base, but size doesn't make it the cheapest or best-rated. Many customers stay on standard rates with the incumbent and pay more than they would by switching.
What's the best electricity provider for solar panels?
SSE Airtricity pays the highest standard Clean Export Guarantee rate in Ireland at 19.50 c/kWh. Pinergy previously led at 25 c/kWh but cut its rate to 18.5 c/kWh on 1 August 2026. SSE Airtricity has a higher tier but it's restricted to customers of its partner installer programme. For most solar homes that switch in directly, SSE Airtricity is the strongest standard option. See our full solar export comparison for the ranking.
How often should I switch electricity supplier?
Roughly once a year. New-customer discounts last 12 months, then your rate reverts to standard pricing. Switching annually keeps you on a discounted rate and is the biggest single thing you can do to keep your bill down.
Is a green / 100% renewable electricity tariff worth it?
If reducing your carbon footprint matters to you, yes, but check the fuel-mix disclosure and whether the 'green' claim is backed by Guarantees of Origin. Energia, Community Power and SSE Airtricity all offer renewable-backed plans. Pricing is broadly comparable to standard tariffs.
Sources
- Pinergy: pinergy.ie
- SSE Airtricity: sseairtricity.com
- Electric Ireland: electricireland.ie
- Bord Gáis Energy: bordgaisenergy.ie
- Energia: energia.ie
- Flogas: flogas.ie
- Yuno Energy: yunoenergy.ie
- PrePayPower: prepaypower.ie
- EcoPower: ecopower.ie
- Community Power: communitypower.ie
- CRU supplier complaint statistics & switching guidance: cru.ie
Last verified: 12 September 2026
Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy
John Rooney is the editor of Solar Info and has been covering the Irish solar energy market since 2023. He fact-checks all content against official SEAI data and maintains relationships with SEAI-registered installers across Ireland.
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