The Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Act 2022 established a scheme for the making in 2022, of a once-off Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment to each domestic electricity account, having regard to the exceptional rise in energy prices.
The credit of €176.22 (excluding VAT) has been applied to all domestic electricity accounts through April, May and June, and includes prepay meters. The scheme is operated by the Distribution System Operator (ESB Networks) and electricity suppliers with oversight by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities.
This is an exceptional measure which uses the single eligibility criterion of an electricity meter point registration number (MPRN), to ensure payments to each domestic electricity account as early as possible this year, without any additional means testing. The payment has been applied to domestic electricity accounts i.e. those which are subject to distribution use of system charges at the rate for urban domestic customers (DG1) or the rate for rural domestic customers (DG2), as set out in section 1 of the Act.
This Scheme is in addition to the Government’s long-standing measures to address energy poverty and the protection of vulnerable customers, and is in addition to the measures introduced in the Budget, subsequently and most recently in the National Energy Security Framework. I continue to monitor this unprecedented and evolving situation closely to inform ongoing consideration of further action.
