SSE to cut energy prices for second time in three months

Reductions will apply from February 1st but prices remain significantly higher than 2020 levels

Energy supplier SSE Airtricity is to cut prices again in February, the second time it has reduced the cost of gas and electricity in three months.

The move marks a further easing of electricity and gas prices in the Irish market, and will put pressure on rival suppliers to follow.

The new prices will see electricity costs fall by almost 13 per cent for SSE customers, while gas prices will be cut by 11.5 per cent from February 1st. The company’s standing charges are unchanged. It will save the average household around €210 a year on their electricity bills, and €150 year on gas.

Around a quarter of a million electricity customers and 90,000 gas customers will benefit from the lower prices, with those on a variable tariff having the discount automatically applied.

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However, although prices are falling, they still remain high.

“Even after today’s reduction, which is SSE’s second in just three months, its standard electricity prices remain around 85 above where they were in 2020 before Covid and then the war in Ukraine wreaked havoc with energy prices while SSE’s gas prices are still around double normal levels. And it’s also a bit disappointing that SSE hasn’t dropped its standing charges – though these are among the lowest in the market already,” said Daragh Cassidy of Bonkers.ie.

“Regardless, we are slowly but surely seeing energy prices fall to slightly more manageable levels. But we’re still quite a long way from normality and our electricity costs in particular remain way above the EU average.”

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Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien is an Irish Times business and technology journalist