Irish electricity price increase to outpace EU counterparts

Ireland moved from having some of the cheapest electricity in the EU15 in 1990 to being one of the most expensive countries for nearly all domestic consumption bands by early 2025 in euro terms

An analysis found that while the EU experienced a significant spike in energy prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many member states experienced a rapid decline in prices. However, Irish prices did not fall to the same degree.

Energy cost increases in Ireland have dramatically outpaced the general rate of inflation as well as that of other European countries over the last three decades, making Irish consumers' annual bills around €360 more expensive, a report has found.

An analysis conducted by the Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI), shows that, by September 2025, electricity prices were over four times higher than in January 1996, while no other state in the EU15 group exceeded increases of three times their base. The EU15 refers to the members of the EU prior to its 2004 expansion. In that time, general Irish prices increased by 1.8 times.