Night rate electricity — sometimes called a time-of-use tariff — charges a significantly lower unit rate during overnight hours in exchange for a slightly higher rate during the day. For homes with an electric vehicle, a heat pump, or even a dishwasher on a timer, the savings can be substantial. But night rate isn't right for everyone, and the wrong tariff choice can cost more, not less. Here's what you need to know before switching to night rate electricity in Ireland.
How Night Rate Electricity Works
Standard Irish electricity tariffs charge a single flat unit rate for every kilowatt-hour you consume, regardless of when you use it. Night rate tariffs split the day into two pricing windows:
| Period | Typical hours | Rate | |--------|--------------|------| | Night (off-peak) | 11pm – 8am or 11pm – 9am | Significantly reduced | | Day (peak) | All other hours | Slightly above standard |
The exact hours vary by supplier. Most run from 11pm to 8am (9 hours), though some extend to 9am. The night rate unit rate is typically 30–50% cheaper than the day rate on the same tariff.
The trade-off is that the daytime unit rate is higher than on a standard single-rate tariff. This is by design — the pricing structure is intended to reward households that can shift consumption to off-peak hours, when Ireland's electricity grid is running surplus wind generation and demand is low.
Do You Need a Smart Meter for Night Rate?
Yes. Night rate tariffs in Ireland require a smart meter, which records your consumption in 30-minute intervals and automatically distinguishes between peak and off-peak usage. Without a smart meter, your supplier has no way to bill you differently for overnight units.
The good news is that smart meters are free. ESB Networks, which owns and operates the electricity network, is rolling them out to all Irish homes as part of the national smart meter programme. You do not need to purchase or install anything yourself — contact your current electricity supplier and request a smart meter installation. Waiting times vary by area but are typically a few weeks.
If you already have a smart meter, you can switch to a night rate tariff immediately with any participating supplier. Your existing meter supports it.
Which Irish Suppliers Offer Night Rate Tariffs?
All seven major Irish electricity suppliers offer at least one time-of-use or night rate tariff:
- Electric Ireland — night rate tariff available to smart meter customers, with a standard day/night split at 11pm
- Bord Gáis Energy — SmartPlan tariff with off-peak pricing for overnight hours
- SSE Airtricity — Smart tariff with day/night pricing windows
- Energia — smart tariff available to smart meter households
- Pinergy — specialises in smart tariff structures; the Pinergy Pay As You Go model includes time-of-use pricing
- Flogas — night rate option alongside standard tariff
- Community Power — night rate tariff for smart meter members, backed by 100% Irish renewables
New customer discounts apply to night rate tariffs in the same way as standard tariffs, so the effective overnight rate after discount can be very low for households that switch.
How Much Can You Save on Night Rate?
The saving depends entirely on how much of your consumption you can shift to overnight hours. Running the numbers:
Example — household using 4,200 kWh/year:
If 25% of usage (1,050 kWh) shifts to the night window at a rate 40% lower than the standard day rate, the annual saving on the unit cost of those units alone is roughly €60–€80 at current prices. Shift 40% of usage overnight and the saving approaches €100–€130.
For EV owners charging overnight, the numbers are bigger. A typical EV adds 2,000–3,000 kWh of annual consumption. If that entire load sits in the night window, the saving on those units alone can be €150–€250 per year compared to charging on a flat-rate tariff.
The maths only works if you genuinely shift usage. A night rate tariff where you continue most consumption in daytime hours will cost more than a standard single-rate tariff because the day rate is higher.
What Appliances to Run at Night
The most effective way to use a night rate tariff is to automate overnight consumption rather than relying on manual behaviour changes. The following loads are well-suited to the night window:
- Electric vehicle charging — set a scheduled start time in the car's app or charge point settings so charging begins at 11pm
- Dishwasher — use the delay start function to run an overnight cycle
- Washing machine — delay start for a late-night cycle; move clothes to the dryer first thing in the morning
- Immersion heater — put it on a timer set to heat water between 2am and 6am
- Heat pump — configure to heat the home and hot water cylinder overnight, reducing the need for daytime heating cycles
- Tumble dryer — overnight cycles if your appliance and layout allow it safely
The goal is to move as many fixed loads as possible out of daytime hours without disrupting your household routine.
Is Night Rate Electricity Worth It for Your Home?
Night rate is worth it if you can consistently shift 25% or more of your annual electricity consumption to the off-peak window. For most homes, that threshold is reachable with an EV, a heat pump, or disciplined appliance scheduling.
It is not worth it if most of your consumption is inherently daytime — working from home, cooking in the evening, heating rooms while the family is awake. In those cases, a standard flat-rate tariff with a strong new customer discount will outperform a night rate tariff where the daytime rate is doing most of the billing work.
The best way to decide is to compare both options side by side using your actual annual kWh. GoSwitch shows night rate and standard tariffs ranked by projected annual cost across all seven Irish suppliers.
Enter your annual kWh and see both tariff types ranked by real annual cost. If night rate comes out cheaper for your usage level, switching takes about 15 minutes and your supply is never interrupted during the changeover.