Electricity users to receive €200 credit on bills next month

The discount will appear on every electricity bill.

A €200 credit is expected to appear on all Irish electricity bills next month. As RTÉ reports, the decision to provide the discount was confirmed by Eamon Ryan, Ireland's Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications. The measure has been brought in amid rising energy costs. The discount will appear on electricity bills as €176.22, but, once VAT is considered, it will be worth €200 in total. There will be no need for electricity users to apply for the discount as it will be given automatically. Prepay customers will receive the payment in two separate €90 payments and one single €20 payment. These customers are being advised to top their bill up by €10 each time and to leave at least one day in between payments. Some customers will receive the discount in April, but for others it may be May or June before it shows up. This is due to the variance in billing cycles. In the case of tenants who do not have access to the electricity bill, their landlords are expected to pass the discount on to them. The Residential Tenancies Board will be expected to mediate any disputes over this. Yesterday, Minister Ryan said that the Government was "acutely aware" of the "recent increases in the cost of living and the impact of rising inflation right across the economy". He said: "Increased energy costs have played a significant role in this, due to rising energy costs internationally and, more recently, due to the crisis in Ukraine." The Green Party leader went on to say that relevant agencies will "explore every avenue to identify and assist those most in need". He acknowledged how natural gas prices have been increasing, and that, in the longterm, a move away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy would lead to a lower cost of living. He said: "We are working towards having up to 80% of our electricity from renewables by 2030 and we now have supports for homeowners, farms and small businesses to generate their own power and sell any excess to the grid. "This, in addition to immediate short-term measures, is what we must do – to protect Irish householders from high energy costs over the coming years.” Feature image: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie