The first of three €200 electricity credits will appear on household bills scheduled to begin tomorrow. According to the government, the initiative will benefit over 2.2 million accounts.
This series of electricity credits are part of a government plan to soften the impact of rising energy prices.
The first energy credit will appear on customers’ bills in November and December – the actual date depends on a household’s electricity supplier and billing cycle.
The credit line on the bill will say €183.49, which amounts is €200 when VAT is taken into account.
According to Environment Minister Eamon Ryan, the credit will be applied automatically to both bill pay and pay-as-you-go customers.
The second and third instalments will be made in January/February and March/April, respectively.
Minister Ryan stated that the government is acutely aware of the difficulties people are experiencing this winter and that this type of financial assistance is both necessary and beneficial.
Opposition parties, however, have argued that the government is not doing enough, with Sinn Féin calling for the implementation of an energy cap to better protect hard-pressed customers.