Watchdog raps energy providers for failing to provide accurate information on cheaper rates

Watchdog raps energy providers for failing to provide accurate information on cheaper rates

A spot check by the regulator found that the majority of the country's energy suppliers were not providing enough information for customers to actually take advantage of such rates.

Ireland's energy providers have come under fire from the energy regulator for failing to meet obligations concerning time-of-use tariffs.

Under such tariffs, customers avail of cheaper rates when using electricity at certain times.

Lack of information

However, a spot check by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) found that the majority of the country's energy suppliers were not providing enough information for customers to actually take advantage of such rates.

Just five of the 13 providers — Energia, Flogas, SSE Airtricity, Waterpower, and Pinergy — met requirements, with eight others falling short.

Six suppliers failed to meet the standard to make clear the unit rates and associated time bands for time-of-use tariffs. They include Bord Gáis Energy, Panda Power, Prepay Power, Community Power, Ecopower, and Glowpower.

CRU said the time bands “did not include detail to indicate what was meant by day/night/peak etc on these suppliers’ customer-facing tariff webpages”. 

In other words, they had not displayed at what times customers could avail of the cheaper rates and when rates were highest

A further two suppliers, Iberdrola and Panda Power, were found not to have discounts displayed “incrementally or in a cumulative way”.

Inaccurate data

Both Bord Gáis Energy and Electric Ireland were found to have provided inaccurate information.

Bord Gáis displayed unit rates inaccurately, while Electric Ireland provided misleading information about the Home Dual+ Weekender and Home Electric+ Weekender rates. It said that electricity was free on Saturdays and Sundays when the “free time” was only between 8am and 11pm.

Finally, Bord Gáis Energy was also found to have inconsistent names of tariffs across different webpages.

Remedial action

Where it found non-compliance, CRU said it had requested the companies to undertake remedial action to address its findings.

CRU said that, prior to publishing the report, all the suppliers had taken the required action.

“The CRU will continue to conduct audits and spot checks of all regulated entities to monitor compliance with their obligations,” it said.

Account switching

Separately, the number of people switching their accounts remains high, with the figure for April 23% higher than in the same month last year.

However, while 30,791 electricity customers switched in April, this was a fall from 40,575 in March, when many companies began to announce significant price rises.

There were net gains for Electric Ireland, Energia, SSE Airtricity, and Prepay Power in April. On the other hand, Bord Gáis Energy, Panda Power, and Pinergy suffered a net loss of electricity customers.

At a time of soaring energy prices, with the major suppliers set to follow Electric Ireland in hiking prices again this summer, consumers are still advised to shop around to save on their bills.

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