Sir, – Given the need to address climate change, I’m striving to reduce my energy usage, especially when most of my electricity comes from fossil-fuel sources. I was therefore taken aback when my latest Electric Ireland bill levied me with a low-usage penalty! Apparently, I used less than two units per day on average in my two-month billing period.
It is effectively encouraging me to increase my usage to keep my bill lower (the levy is much higher than the units involved). I told Electric Ireland I was unhappy with this, but made little progress when I raised climate change and the need for us all to reduce energy.
It has to cover their fixed costs, and low-usage customers do not help. I also urged it to up its share of renewables in the energy mix.
Its view is that less than two units per day household usage signifies an unoccupied or abandoned house!
I live in a three-bed semi-detached house and not in sackcloth and ashes.
We all need to address the biggest issue on the planet and help by reducing our electricity use in the home, especially if it mainly comes from fossil fuel sources. It makes no sense for electricity suppliers to encourage us to increase our usage to meet their financial needs and not the pressing requirement to tackle climate change. – Yours, etc,
ERIC CONROY,
Kimmage,
Dublin 12.