Ireland's smart meter rollout — the largest infrastructure upgrade to the electricity network in decades — makes time-of-use electricity tariffs possible for every domestic customer. These tariffs charge different prices depending on when you use electricity: lower rates at night and at weekends, higher rates during peak hours.
If you have or are getting a smart meter, understanding how time-of-use tariffs work is essential to deciding whether they will reduce your bill or increase it.
What Is a Time-of-Use Tariff?
A time-of-use (TOU) tariff has at least two different unit rates:
- Night rate (typically 11pm–8am): significantly cheaper than the day rate, usually 12–17 cent/kWh
- Day rate (typically 8am–11pm): standard or peak rate, usually 28–35 cent/kWh
- Peak rate (some tariffs add a peak band, e.g. 5pm–7pm): highest rate, used by some suppliers
Some tariffs also offer cheaper weekend rates, recognising that electricity demand is lower on Saturdays and Sundays.
Standard flat-rate tariffs charge the same price regardless of when you use electricity — around 28–32 cent/kWh. Time-of-use tariffs are only available if you have a smart meter, because a smart meter records your usage in 30-minute intervals and transmits this data to your supplier.
The Irish Smart Meter Rollout
ESB Networks is rolling out smart meters to all 2.4 million domestic and small business electricity customers in Ireland. The rollout began in 2019 and is expected to reach close to full completion by the mid-2020s.
Smart meters in Ireland are the ESBN-standard SMETS (Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specification) meters. They:
- Record consumption in 30-minute intervals
- Transmit readings automatically — no manual reads required
- Enable day/night rate billing without requiring a separate night-storage meter
- Support export metering for microgeneration (solar panels selling back to the grid)
To request a smart meter, contact ESB Networks directly at esbnetworks.ie. Installation is free. Waiting times vary by area.
Night Rate Tariffs: How They Work
The most common time-of-use structure in Ireland is the day/night tariff, also called a night rate or Economy 7-style tariff. The key numbers for most suppliers in 2026:
| Period | Typical rate | |--------|-------------| | Night (11pm–8am) | 12–17c/kWh | | Day (8am–11pm) | 28–35c/kWh | | Standing charge | Similar to flat tariffs |
The night window is 9 hours — roughly 37.5% of the day. If you can shift 50% or more of your electricity use into those 9 hours, a night rate tariff will almost certainly reduce your bill compared to a flat rate.
Which Suppliers Offer Smart Meter Tariffs?
All major Irish electricity suppliers now offer smart meter day/night tariffs:
- Electric Ireland — Smart tariff with day/night split
- Bord Gáis Energy — Smart Home tariff
- SSE Airtricity — Smart Value tariff
- Energia — Smart tariff
- Pinergy — Specialises in smart/prepay tariffs with variable time slots
Exact rates and structures differ. Compare all current smart meter tariffs here →
Is a Night Rate Tariff Right for You?
Night rate tariffs reward households that can shift consumption to off-peak hours. The biggest opportunities:
Electric Vehicle Charging
EV charging overnight is the single biggest opportunity for night-rate savings. A typical EV (60 kWh battery) charged from near-empty overnight at 13c/kWh costs around €6–€7. At a flat day rate of 30c/kWh, the same charge costs €18. Over a year, a household running 250 charging sessions saves approximately €2,500–€3,000.
Dishwasher and Washing Machine
Using a timer to run the dishwasher or washing machine after 11pm costs 12–17c/kWh instead of 28–35c. A household running 7 washes/week saves around €60–€80/year by shifting to night hours.
Immersion Heater / Hot Water Cylinder
Electric water heating on a timer, set to run during the night window, can deliver savings of €80–€150/year for a family of four compared to running at day rates.
Storage Heaters
Night storage heaters are designed specifically for night rate use — they absorb heat during cheap overnight hours and release it during the day. If you have storage heaters, a day/night tariff is almost essential.
When Night Rate Tariffs Won't Help
Night rate tariffs work poorly for:
- Households with all consumption during the day — if you work from home and rarely use electricity after 11pm, you gain little and your daytime rate may be higher than on a flat tariff
- Households with low overall usage — the administrative complexity isn't worth the saving below around 2,500 kWh/year
- Households without timer-controllable loads — if you cannot shift dishwasher, washing machine, or hot water to night hours, the saving potential is low
How to Calculate Whether You'll Save
The simplest test: look at your smart meter data and estimate what percentage of your usage falls between 11pm and 8am today, without any changes.
- If more than 30% of your usage is already at night → a night rate tariff will likely save money
- If less than 15% is at night today → you would need to actively shift loads to benefit
Your supplier's online account or the ESB Networks MyAccount portal shows a breakdown of your 30-minute interval data if you have a smart meter.
The Weekend Rate Variation
Some suppliers offer lower rates on Saturdays and Sundays as well as overnight. For households that do most laundry, cooking, and appliance use at weekends, these tariffs can deliver meaningful additional savings — worth checking if your usage profile skews heavily towards weekends.
Summary
- Time-of-use tariffs require a smart meter — free to get from ESB Networks
- Night rates (11pm–8am) typically 12–17c/kWh vs 28–35c/kWh day rate
- EV owners, storage heater users, and households with timer-controlled appliances save the most
- Not every household benefits — calculate your overnight usage % first
- All major Irish suppliers now offer smart meter tariffs