SSE Airtricity Price Increase October 2026
SSE Airtricity raised its residential electricity prices by around 9% on . Electricity rose around 9%: the standard 24-hour rate went from 41.13c to 45.00c/kWh. Top Discount 24-hour rate 28.79c to 31.50c/kWh; urban standing charge €263.86 to €279.99.
Published 12 September 2026. Rates verified 28 Oct 2026.
Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy
Quick Answer
SSE Airtricity raised electricity prices by around 9% on 5 October 2026. The plan we track now charges 31.50c/kWh with a €279.99 standing charge, an estimated €1,603 a year for a home using 4,200 kWh. If you are out of contract, check whether a new-customer discount elsewhere now beats it.
SSE Airtricity rates before and after 5 Oct 2026
Plan shown: Electricity Top Discount 24h (30% off). Urban 24-hour meter, all figures include 9% VAT. The annual bill is unit rate times 4,200 kWh plus the standing charge, and excludes the PSO levy, which is the same at every supplier. This rise is already in effect and the supplier no longer publishes the previous rate, so only the current figures are shown.
| Before | After | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit rate | n/a | 31.50c/kWh | n/a |
| Standing charge (per year) | n/a | €279.99 | n/a |
| Estimated annual bill (4,200 kWh) | n/a | €1,603 | n/a |
What it means for a typical home
On the SSE Airtricity plan we track, a home using 4,200 kWh a year now pays an estimated €1,603 a year before the PSO levy: 31.50c/kWh per unit plus a €279.99 standing charge.SSE Airtricity quoted the increase at around 9% on its standard plan.
What to do now
This increase is already in the rates SSE Airtricity quotes today, so the question is whether a rival's new-customer discount beats what you now pay. SSE Airtricity charges a €50 early exit fee if you leave inside the 12-month contract, so check your contract end date first. If you stay, ask SSE Airtricity for its best existing-customer offer rather than sitting on the standard rate.
Check whether a switch beats your new rate
SSE Airtricity's early exit fee is €50 inside the 12-month contract. Compare the full annual bill, not the unit rate alone, on our cheapest electricity in Ireland table, which already carries the announced rates.
Read the SSE Airtricity profile
Export rate, contract terms and payment options are on the SSE Airtricity electricity provider page, including its 19.50 c/kWh Clean Export Guarantee rate for solar owners.
Does solar help?
A price rise only applies to the units you buy from the grid. A typical 4.4 kWp rooftop system offsets roughly 40 to 60% of a home's imports over a year, more with a battery, so the share of your bill exposed to SSE Airtricity's new unit rate shrinks by about the same amount. Surplus is paid for under the Clean Export Guarantee, which SSE Airtricity pays at 19.50 c/kWh.
SSE Airtricity price increase FAQ
When does the SSE Airtricity price increase take effect?
The SSE Airtricity increase took effect on 5 October 2026 and is already built into the rates the supplier quotes today.
How much more will I pay SSE Airtricity after the increase?
SSE Airtricity quoted the increase at around 9% on its standard plan. The plan we track now charges 31.50c/kWh with a €279.99 standing charge, an estimated €1,603 a year at 4,200 kWh before the PSO levy.
Can I leave SSE Airtricity before the price increase?
Yes, but if you are inside the 12-month contract SSE Airtricity charges a €50 early exit fee, so check your contract end date first. Switching takes a few weeks, so start before the effective date if you want to be on a new supplier's discount when the rise lands. Compare the full annual bill rather than the unit rate alone.
Do solar panels protect me from the SSE Airtricity increase?
Partly. A typical 4.4 kWp system offsets roughly 40 to 60% of a home's grid imports over a year, so the share of your bill exposed to the new unit rate falls by about that much. Surplus is paid under the Clean Export Guarantee, which SSE Airtricity pays at 19.50 c/kWh. The standing charge still applies whether or not you have solar.
SSE Airtricity 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 28 Oct 2026 and show the current price until each change lands.
- SSE Airtricity
Electricity rose around 9%: the standard 24-hour rate went from 41.13c to 45.00c/kWh. Top Discount 24-hour rate 28.79c to 31.50c/kWh; urban standing charge €263.86 to €279.99. source
- All suppliers
CRU-approved 2026/27 network charges added 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 lowered every bill by the same amount. 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. Budget 2027 on 6 October contained no universal energy credit: see what support exists instead.
Sources
- SSE Airtricity tariff page: https://www.sseairtricity.com/assets/Tariffs/ROI/Current/1YR-ELEC-30.pdf
Rates verified 28 Oct 2026. All figures include 9% VAT. Typical usage of 4,200 kWh is the CRU urban 24-hour benchmark.
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- Electric Ireland price increase July 20268% from 1 Jul 2026
- Yuno Energy price increase July 20269.5% from 1 Jul 2026
- All electricity price increasesEvery announced rise in one table, newest first
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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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