Regulator tells ESB to cut payroll 5%

THE energy regulator has instructed the ESB to cut staff payroll by 5% after the electricity supplier indicated it wanted to actually hike up salary costs for employees.

The refusal to allow the electricity supplier raise staff salaries and instead push it to cut its payroll costs is expected to lead to some savings being passed on to consumers.

The average staff salary at the semi-state company last year was €65,498 and was expected to rise to €66,841 in the next two years, the ESB told the regulator in a recent consultation.