Electricity & gas · October 2026
What the October price rises cost you
Three suppliers put prices up this month: SSE Airtricity on 5 October, Bord Gáis on 9 October and Energia on 12 October, on top of electricity prices already up 8.1% in a year. Put in your last bill and see what yours costs you.
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What to do about it yourself
- 1Get your numbers from your bill
Your plan, unit rate, standing charge, yearly usage in kWh, and contract end date. Out of contract means no exit fee and the most leverage.
- 2Get a competing price
Check the cheapest price for your usage on a CRU-accredited comparison site (bonkers.ie, switcher.ie or powertoswitch.ie). Note the supplier, unit rate and yearly cost.
- 3Ask your supplier to keep you, in writing
Ask for the loyalty or retention team. Give the competing yearly cost and ask for their best offer in writing: unit rate, standing charge, discount and how long it lasts, exit fee.
- 4Compare the yearly cost, not the discount
Unit rate × your kWh, plus the standing charge, minus the discount for as long as it lasts. Put both offers through the same sum.
- 5Take the better one
Stay on the new rate (check it's on your account) or switch: the new supplier does the work, supply isn't interrupted, and there's a cooling-off period.
- Discounts that only last 12 months: the rate after that is what you'll pay next year.
- A higher discount on a higher unit rate. Compare the yearly cost on your usage, not the percentage.
- Exit fees if you're mid-way through a fixed-term contract. There's no fee at the end of one.
- Conditions on the price, like paperless billing or direct debit.
Or let Cara do it
- 1Reads your bill: your plan, your unit rate, your usage and whether you're out of contract.
- 2Emails your supplier for their best price to keep you, and prices the same usage with the others.
- 3Tells you which is cheapest. Stay or switch: you say YES, and you accept any new contract yourself.
Nothing is switched, ordered or paid for without your YES. Cara never asks for passwords or card details.
Every 2026 price change
As each supplier announced it: the change to a typical bill.
| Mon 12 Oct 2026 | Energia | electricity +4.73% · gas +9.38% |
| Fri 9 Oct 2026 | Bord Gáis Energy | electricity +8.8% · gas +9.3% |
| Mon 5 Oct 2026 | SSE Airtricity | electricity +8.9% · gas +9.3% |
| Mon 14 Sept 2026 | Pinergy | electricity +7.6% |
| Mon 20 Jul 2026 | Flogas | electricity +10.9% · gas +11.8% |
| Wed 1 Jul 2026 | Electric Ireland | electricity +8% · gas +7.7% |
| Wed 1 Jul 2026 | Yuno Energy | electricity +9.5% · gas +11% |
Electricity prices since 2019
The CSO's consumer price index for electricity (December 2023 = 100).
What people ask
Which suppliers are putting up prices in October 2026?
SSE Airtricity from 5 October (electricity +8.9%, gas +9.3%), Bord Gáis Energy from 9 October (electricity +8.8%, gas +9.3% on a typical bill) and Energia from 12 October (electricity +4.73%, gas +9.38%). Pinergy rose 7.6% on 14 September. Electric Ireland, Yuno and Flogas raised prices in July.
Can I get a better price without switching?
Often, yes. Suppliers keep retention offers for customers who ask, especially those out of contract. Asking in writing, with a competing price in hand, works best. That's what Cara does.
Will switching cut off my supply?
No. Your electricity comes through the same ESB Networks wires whoever you pay; switching changes only the bill. The new supplier handles it, and it usually takes about three weeks.
Is there an energy credit in Budget 2027?
Reports before Budget day (6 October) said no universal energy credit is planned. This page will say what the Budget actually does on the night.
What's a typical household's usage?
The energy regulator (CRU) uses 4,200 kWh of electricity and 11,000 kWh of gas a year as a typical household. Your bill shows your own.
Coming up
- ECB rate decisionECB & mortgages →
- Pay & File deadline (ROS)Tax back
- ECB rate decisionECB & mortgages →
- ECB rate decisionECB & mortgages →
How this is worked out
Each supplier's change is the percentage it announced for a typical bill. Your cost is your yearly spend (your bill × 6 if billed every two months, × 12 if monthly) times that percentage. Unit-rate changes are slightly bigger than bill changes because standing charges and levies move differently.