Photo by American Public Power Association on Unsplash 

By Kelsey Doogan 

Over the last couple of weeks both Electric Ireland and PrePay Power, two major energy and gas suppliers in Ireland, announced they would freeze their gas and electricity prices as we head into the winter months. 

As temperatures drop and the evenings get darker, we tend to use more energy in the later months of the year, which also makes it the most expensive time of year to heat and light homes. 

This is not a government-driven initiative and while there is pressure being put on them to introduce a nationwide freeze, one has not yet been agreed or announced.  

Because this is an individual business decision, not a government- imposed freeze, other companies have not followed suit.  

Energia, Bord Gáis, FloGas and others have raised their prices, further increasing the burden on their customers in Ireland. 

“Makes you wonder how one company can do it but others can’t. We all know the winter months are expensive enough without energy suppliers increasing prices.” said Melissa McCabe, a Pinergia customer from the north east Region. 

The government also announced that there would be no energy credits as part of this year’s budget, unlike in past years where a €250 credit was available.  

This, paired with rising general cost of living pressures, could lead to an especially costly winter for many low and middle income households across the country. 

For those select few companies choosing to freeze their prices, that freeze is due to stay in place until the 1^t of March at the earliest. 

“It is a relief to get word of the price freezes. It means that we can focus more money on other bills like food. In the winter months, everyone is home more often than during the summer,” said Frances Kieran, a PrePay Power customer who chose to comment on the recent news. 

PrepayPower has had two price decreases since the start of 2023 and they also haven’t had any increases in that time frame either. 

Photo by Henning Wiekhorst on Unsplash 

PrePay Power serves around 240,000 customers, which represents approximately 4.5% of the Irish population. Electric Ireland, another company announcing a price freeze, has over 1.1 million customers — about 20.8% of the population. 

While those two companies together cover about one quarter of all households in Ireland, the remaining 75% of consumers now face the possibility of price hikes in the coming months. 

“When providers like Electric Ireland knock on the door offering their services, I may actually consider it now. I need to do what’s best for my family and while energy costs are going up, my wages certainly aren’t,” said Thomas Burns in reaction to the news of the price increases imposed by some companies over the month of October. 

Reactions to the announcements have been mixed. People benefiting from the freezes are relieved and grateful for the financial breathing space, especially as winter bills rise. But for those with other suppliers, frustration is growing — some say they may be forced to switch providers or reduce usage, while others warn of longer-term uncertainty costs remain high. 

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