When Eve, a 29-year-old nurse from Cork and her partner, Billy bought their first home, it needed a lot of work. The 60+ year-old Youghal semi came with a few surprises.
“Cosmetic work was to be expected,” says Eve. “We needed a new bathroom and a new kitchen. But once we got started, we realised we also needed to redo the plumbing, replace the windows and doors, insulate, and fully rewire.”
One surprise they won’t have to worry about is the cost of their electricity bill.
The couple is one of the 1.9 million households and businesses so far to have received a free Smart Meter upgrade as part of Ireland’s Climate Action Plan. If you haven’t yet received yours, it’s on the way. ESB Networks is upgrading existing electricity meters across the country to smart meters. The process takes just under an hour, and you will be notified in advance of your upcoming meter exchange.
“The meter installation was probably the easiest part of the renovation,” recalls Eve. “We didn’t need to do anything, it simply arrived."
What also simply arrived were accurate electricity bills, providing Eve and Billy with much needed predictability in household expenses.
Smart Meters continually track your electricity use, eliminating the need for estimated bills and the surprises that can happen as a result. What makes Smart Meters even more useful is the data they gather. By showing us when and how much electricity we are using—or indeed producing (e.g. from solar panels) — we can be empowered to make smarter choices, including the most cost-effective tariff for our needs.
To access the data from your Smart Meter, all you have to do is create an online account with ESB Networks. Once your account has been created, the data will be regularly updated in an easy-to-read dashboard.
Within a month, you will be able to see exactly how much electricity you are using, or producing, per month, week, and day—down to half-hour intervals. This can be incredibly insightful, particularly if you have ever wondered how much electricity certain appliances use, or how much those new solar panels are generating.
With a clear view of your electricity use, carbon and cost savings are at hand. Suppliers now offer a variety of tariffs to suit different consumption needs. So, whether you tend to use electricity at a certain time of day, charge an electric vehicle, generate electricity with solar panels, or like Eve and Billy you are looking for more predictability in your outgoings, a Smart Meter can offer the insights, savings and certainty you are looking for.
To make the most of your Smart Meter, open your ESB Networks Online Account today.