Our breakdown guide covers 5 of the major energy providers in Ireland

What you need to know

1. MPRN – Your Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) is the unique 11 digit number assigned to your electricity connection and meter.
2. Bill Breakdown – Here you’ll find the unit rates for the energy you have used, as well as the taxes and charges applied to your bill.
3. Meter Reads and Consumption – Your meter readings are used to calculate your bill. Both your current and previous readings will be displayed here. The type of reading may be indicated as: A – Actual reading, E – Estimated reading, C – Customer reading
   • What is an estimated reading? ‘E’ stands for ‘estimate’. It means that your energy consumption has been estimated, based on the average usage rate for a house similar to yours. Your consumption estimate determines your overall energy billing rate and it could be higher or lower than your actual consumption.
4. Maximum Import Capacity (MIC) – is the upper limit on the total electrical demand you can place on the network system, so it should be high enough to meet the requirements of your business. This is generally only relevant to businesses or homeowners who want to install larger solar PV systems. (Not all providers include the MIC on your bills, you may need to contact your provider to get your MIC.)
   

View our guide to the 5 most common bills below

Understand the Energy Bills in Terms of Cost Savings

Maximum Import Capacity (MIC) 

MIC impacts how much you will be charged for your connection. Too high MIC which is capacity more than you required result in higher monthly charge, whereas too low MIC affects equipment operation, and you might incur a penalty for excess usage. Consider the below example to understand how electricity charge differs for different MIC limits: 

Consult an electrician to determine your MIC requirements. Below is the ESB link to request a change in MIC. 

ESB link – https://www.esbnetworks.ie/existing-connections/increasing-decreasing-supply/changing-your-level-of-supply- 

Utilising Day/Night Tariffs 

Know your electricity plan and unit rates. If tariff is low during night, operate energy intensive equipment then. E.g. Tumble Dryer, Electric Vehicle night charging. Look at the below example, where savings are estimated by operating a tumble dryer at night rate. (SSE Airtricity’s Fixed Smart Day/Night/Peak tariff plan rates are used, and average yearly energy consumption is considered for tumble dryer). 

Savings by Avoiding Standby Charges 

Below is the list of 5 common electrical appliances at home and extra cost incurred to a household by its standby charges (Calculations are based on average electricity unit price in 2024 with 22-hour standby time/day in the year and standby power figures based on energy audits and manufacturer data): 

To make things more convenient, a standby saver can be used, which is a device plugged in between the appliance and the socket that is controlled by a remote/smartphone to cut off power to the appliance. It costs between €10 – €30. 

Meter Readings  

Take actual meter readings and provide to supplier online, to avoid overestimation or worse, back charge.