Compare Irish
Dual Fuel Prices

Why should I compare electricity and gas prices (dual fuel) and switch?

If you haven’t switched your energy tariff recently it is unlikely that you are on the best deal. With Power to Switch you could save up to €476 on your electricity and gas bill simply by switching.

There’s no one best deal or cheapest dual fuel supplier for everybody, so it’s important to run an energy comparison based on your own situation. That way we can help you find the best energy deal that meets your needs and lifestyle.

Why Compare Electricity and Gas (Dual Fuel) Deals with Power to Switch?

Power to Switch is a free and independent service helping you find a better energy deal. We compare all gas and electricity suppliers in Ireland and can help you switch in minutes

And because we are accredited by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities you can trust our information to be accurate, impartial and up to date. This means you can be confident of finding the very best energy best deal.

What you need to compare energy prices?

All you need is a few details: who your current energy supplier is, your current payment method and tariff.  To get the most accurate comparison its best to use details of your current energy usage (or spend). This information will be included on your energy bill or statement.

If you don’t have details on your current usage or spend to hand you can select from average consumption levels set for both electricity (4,200kWh) and gas (11,000kWh).

How do I know who my current supplier is?

When it comes to comparing deals, you will need to know who your current supplier is. The easiest way to find this information is to check a recent electricity or gas bill.

If you don’t have access to an electricity bill or remain unsure you can call ESB Networks on 1850 372 757 or email them on esbnetworks@esb.ie to find out who your supplier is.

if you don’t know who supplies your gas and can’t find a recent bill you can contact Gas Networks Ireland on 1850 200 694 or networksinfo@gasnetworks.ie to find out.

And remember if you have both gas and electricity in your home, you may be signed up to the same supplier for both (a dual fuel deal), or have separate suppliers for each fuel.

How many energy suppliers can I choose from in Ireland

The electricity and gas markets in Ireland are really competitive. With eight suppliers providing dual fuel deals there are more tariffs, deals and offers to choose from than ever before. To see more information on gas suppliers, visit our supplier page.

What types of energy deals are there?

Each energy supplier in Ireland provides a choice of tariffs – so it’s about picking the tariff that is best for you and your lifestyle. The main types of tariff include…

Standard Tariff: The standard tariff is your suppliers default tariff. If you have a fixed term contract (e.g. 1 or 2 years) then the standard tariff is the rate you will normally be placed on once the contract terms has ended.

Standard tariffs do not have exit fees for leaving and your contract will have no fixed end date. But watch out for the cost…standard tariffs are not usually the supplier’s cheapest – chances are you will save money by switching to a new deal.

Discount Tariff: Many suppliers offer a discount rate tariff for new customers. This usually takes the form of a discount, lasting for usually one year (but sometimes 2 years), off the suppliers’ standard rate. These tariffs can provide a saving especially during the discount term – but remember after the discount term you will likely be placed on the higher standard rate. Many of these tariffs will come with a contract term and apply an early exit fee if you leave before the end of the term.

Prepayment Tariff: Prepayment energy tariffs use a prepaid meter in your home. Payment usually takes the form of ‘topping-up’ a card by phone from the supplier, or increasingly on-line or via an App or sometimes at shops or other retail outlets.

Paying upfront for energy on a prepayment meter means no unexpected bills – it can also help track and monitor your energy usage. However, some suppliers will add a prepayment meter charge on top of your standing charge which can add to your overall bill.

Green Tariff: Green tariffs reflects energy that is supplied from renewable sources, like wind, solar, hydro-electric and other renewable sources. Suppliers or tariffs supplied by renewable sources are marked as 100% Green Energy.

Dual Fuel: Dual fuel tariffs is a tariff which covers both your gas and electricity. You’ll only have to deal with one supplier for both and it could work out cheaper than separate deals. That’s not always the case though, so you might want to compare gas and electricity separately to get the cheapest energy you can.

Fixed Rate: A fixed rate tariff will set your price for a certain length of time. The amount you pay per unit of energy stays the same while you’re on a fixed rate, so your bills will only go up or down if you use more or less gas and electricity. It protects you from price increases, but you won’t benefit if prices fall.

Nightsaver Tariff (electricity only): A Nightsaver meter records day-time and night-time electricity consumption separately. You will pay two different tariff rates for electricity on a Nightsaver tariff – one rate for night time and another rate for day time. This allows customers to avail of cheaper electricity at night when demand is usually lower.

Can I compare electricity prices and gas prices separately or together?

The choice is yours…while you can compare dual fuel prices with ‘Power to Switch’ you can also choose to compare gas prices or compare electricity prices separately, depending on your needs.

Not all households use both electricity and gas. There are over 2million domestic electricity customers in Ireland and around 680k gas customers. And some energy suppliers in Ireland only offer tariffs for one type of fuel. If you use both electricity and gas, then you can choose different suppliers for electricity and gas or choose a single supplier through a dual fuel tariff.

What to consider when comparing Dual Fuel deals?

Price and how much you can save will always rank highly when it comes to considering a new energy deal. But there are a few other things to consider….

Firstly, how you pay impacts on how much you pay! Payment options include Direct Debit, Pay as You Go, cash/card or cheque. And it’s worth remembering the best deals are usually available to Direct Debit customers.

How you are billed is also important. As with Direct Debit the best deals are usually available with tariffs that have online or e-billing rather than postal bills.

And a few other things to think about include…

• What type of plan suits your needs best – a discount tariff, fixed price or Pay as You Go.
• Is there a contract term with any offer, usually 1 or 2 years? Is there an early exit fee?
• Does the supplier offer any additional services e.g. Online account or smart technology?
• Does the supplier provide green energy tariffs or offset the C02 for gas?
• Are there any other perks, cashbacks or promotions with the offer?

Choosing the Best Electricity and Gas (Dual Fuel) Deal

How much could I save on my Electricity and Gas Bills

Every home is different but if you have never switched or it’s been a while you will save money on your energy bills.

In Ireland there are more energy suppliers to choose from than even before. And with more suppliers there is more competition and choice. To attract new customers many suppliers offer discounted deals to encourage you to make the switch. Many discounts last for 12 months so it’s important to make switching a habit in order to keep saving money.

The actual saving you will make on your energy bills will depend on how much energy you actually use in your home. To get the most accurate comparison we advise you to use the amount of energy you use (kWh) which will be printed on your bill.

However, at the moment, customers on a typical standard rate, consuming the national average amount of gas (11,000kWh) and electricity (4,200 kWh) during the year could save the following amounts in their first year by switching:

The best deal or the cheapest Dual Fuel deal?

This really depends on you…and sometimes the best deal and cheapest deals will be the same and sometimes they won’t. Every household will be different – and it depends on what you value in terms of an energy deal. Maybe it’s the cheapest price, or it could be a deal with cashback offers, fixed price deals or ensuring that your electricity comes from 100% renewable sources.

It’s really about finding the deal that is right for you.

With ‘Power to Switch’ we can help you through this. We give you control over how to view results – you can view by price, or include the value of cashback offers, by payment method or list tariffs from renewable sources.

We also provide Information about each supplier, key features of the plan, payment and billing methods so any decision is mad on full information.

How do I find the Cheapest Dual Fuel plan?

What information do I need?

To compare dual fuel deals in Ireland there are a few things that you will need.

Current Plan: The first question to answer is whether you are already on a dual fuel deal (i.e. you get your electricity and gas form the same supplier).

If the answer is Yes then you select your current dual fuel suppliers name, payment method, electricity supply region (Urban or Rural), confirm if you have a Nightsaver tariff and enter how much you spend (€) or use (kWh) for electricity and gas.

If the answer is No (your electricity and gas is from separate suppliers) then simply enter the details for each energy product separately (as you would if comparing separate electricity and gas deals)

Cheapest Dual Fuel Deals in Ireland

Table inserted here as for electricity…pulling in figures

* The calculations are based on the national average consumption, which is 4,200kWh for electricity and 11,000kWh for gas, and include all taxes and charges, including the PSO Levy, VAT, Carbon Tax and standing charges. Any cashback offers are not included.

How much could I save switching electricity and gas (Dual Fuel) supplier?

At the moment an electricity and gas customer currently on a standard rate consuming 4,200kWh electricity, and 11,000kWh gas (the national average) could save the following amounts in their first year by switching. Your individual saving will depend on how much electricity and gas you actually use in your home.

Same approach as for Electricity Savings table.

*Annual Cost and Savings include all taxes and charges, including the PSO Levy, VAT, Carbon Tax and standing charges. Any cashback offers are not included

Which is best: Dual Fuel or taking my electricity and gas from separate suppliers?

There are two things to consider…cost and convenience.

In terms of cost, at the moment, it is slightly more expensive to take your electricity and gas from a single supplier. The cheapest Dual Fuel deal, based on average consumption, currently costs [€1,611]. However, apart from cost a dual fuel deal has the convenience of having one supplier for both your electricity and gas.

Taking separate electricity and gas deals from different suppliers will each cost [€921 for Electricity] and [€623 for Gas]. Based on average consumption this means separate deals will cost a total of [€1,544] over the first year. However, it’s worth checking if separate electricity and gas deals have any other additional incentives, rewards or promotions that may make taking separate offers more attractive. And prices change on a regular basis so it’s always worth checking if a dual fuel deal or taking separate electricity and gas deals is best for you.