Cheapest electricity plans in Ireland, October 2026

Waterpower Smart Tariff is the cheapest plan this month for a typical home using 4,200 kWh a year: about €1,541 a year including the standing charge and PSO levy. That is €222 less than the average of the 26 plans we track, and €673 less than the dearest. Rates were last checked 20 October 2026.

• Cheapest 24-hour plan: Energia Smart 24 Hour (30% off), about €1,547 a year.
• Cheapest smart (day, night and peak) plan: Waterpower Smart Tariff, about €1,541 a year.

Did you know? Solar could cut that bill by about €1,104 a year, before any export payments

The typical system in FairWatt's community quotes is 9.1 kWp of panels with a 10 kWh battery, at a median price of €11,800. On the same 4,200 kWh home it would make about 8,154 kWh a year, use 45% of it in the house, and export the rest. On the best plan for a solar home (Electric Ireland Home Electric+ Smart (20% off)) the yearly bill becomes a credit of about €506 a year once export payments are counted, a total gain of about €2,047 a year that would pay the system back in roughly 6 years. Export payments depend on the Clean Export Guarantee, which could change, and only the first €400 a year is tax-free, so the saving from using your own power is the safer number.

Every home is different. Load your ESB smart meter file below and add panels, a battery or an electric car to see your own numbers.

How we worked this out

A typical Irish usage pattern, with more use in winter and in the evening, priced on each plan's current unit rates and urban standing charge, including VAT, the advertised discount and the €6.67 PSO levy. Solar uses Irish yields of about 900 kWh per kWp a year facing south. The battery charges from the panels, and also in the plan's cheap night or EV hours where that lowers the bill. EV plans are left out because they suit homes that charge a car overnight. Discounts usually last 12 months.

See every plan's rates · What Irish homes pay for solar