Irish energy price rises in 2026: what happened, and why

Every major Irish supplier has now announced a price increase in 2026, and most of the October ones land within a fortnight of each other. The reasons are partly abroad (gas) and partly at home (the grid). These are the events since late May that explain your next bill, in date order.

28 May: Electric Ireland raises prices for the first time since 2022

Electric Ireland, the largest supplier, announced an 8% increase in residential electricity prices and 7.7% for gas from 1 July. For its average customer that meant €11.52 a month more for electricity and €9.73 more for gas. The company blamed the conflict in the Middle East for “significant upward price pressure on wholesale energy markets”. It was its first increase since October 2022.

It set the pattern for the rest of the market: Flogas, Pinergy and Yuno Energy followed over the summer.

June: dynamic tariffs arrive

From June 2026 Irish electricity customers with smart meters could move to dynamic price tariffs, where the unit price changes every half-hour in line with the wholesale market. The CRU notes the next day’s prices are published in advance and are typically lowest overnight.

Useful if you can shift an EV, a heat pump or the washing to cheap hours. Riskier if you cannot, because early-evening prices are high, although the CRU says prices on these tariffs are capped so customers are protected from very high prices.

29 July: network charges up, PSO levy down

The CRU approved electricity network charges for 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027. For a typical home the increase is about €41.25 over the year, or €3.44 a month, after the regulator cut €138 million from what the network companies asked for. Network costs are roughly 30% of a typical electricity bill. On the same day the CRU set the PSO levy for 2026/27 at €41.48 million, down from €125.38 million, which cuts the household charge by 66% to €0.51 a month before VAT.

Taken together, regulated charges add around €30 a year from October, before any supplier increase.

4 September: SSE Airtricity, about 9%

SSE Airtricity announced increases of 8.9% for electricity and 9.3% for gas from October: €171.55 a year for a typical electricity customer, €138.70 for gas and €311.48 for dual fuel. Its electricity standing charge rises 6.1%. Managing director Stephen Gallagher said the company could “no longer absorb these costs” given market volatility and higher network charges.

If you are an SSE customer, the time to look at other plans is before the new rates apply, and our compare page works from your own usage.

9 September: Bord Gáis Energy, from 9 October

Bord Gáis Energy followed with 8.8% on electricity (€177 a year) and 9.3% on gas (€140 a year) from 9 October, its first gas increase in four years. Daragh Cassidy of bonkers.ie told RTÉ that wholesale gas prices had doubled year on year and wholesale electricity costs were up about 30% in six months.

11 September: Energia, from 12 October

Energia’s increase is smaller on electricity (4.73%, about €87 a year) and larger on gas (9.38%, about €143), from 12 October. The detail matters for EV owners: according to bonkers.ie, Energia’s night rates rise 28% and its EV Smart Drive rate 30%.

A headline average can hide very different changes for day/night and EV plans, so read your own rate lines in the letter.

22 September: wholesale electricity up 77% in a year

The CSO’s Wholesale Price Index showed wholesale electricity prices in August 9.6% higher than in July and 76.9% higher than in August 2025, though still 56% below the August 2022 peak. Earlier in the month, the CSO’s consumer price index showed household electricity up 8.1% and home heating oil up 44.6% over the year to August.

Supplier prices follow wholesale with a lag, so these August numbers give little reason to expect a quick reversal of the October increases.

25 September: the CRU starts rethinking network tariffs

The CRU opened the first phase of its Electricity Network Tariff Structure Review, the first full review of how network costs are shared out since 2000. Responses close on 22 October 2026. Phase 1 only sets objectives and scope; concrete options, which could change the balance between standing charges and unit rates, come later.

Nothing changes on the next bill. In the longer run, though, this review decides how much of your bill is fixed and how much depends on when and how much you use.

Coming next: Budget 2027 on 6 October

The Irish Times reported on 16 September that energy will be central to the Budget. A carbon tax increase on home heating oil, postponed in the spring, is expected to be postponed again, a lower carbon tax rate on heating oil is being considered, and the fuel allowance is expected to rise by €5 to €43 a week for about 470,000 households. One-off energy credits were not in Budget 2026 and are not confirmed for Budget 2027.

The short version

Wholesale gas drove the supplier increases, the grid adds a smaller regulated rise, and the PSO cut takes a little back. If your supplier’s letter has arrived, compare plans before the new rates start rather than after the first higher bill. Our 2027 outlook covers what is already fixed for next year and what is not.