CSO data reveals Donegal has lowest electricity bills in Ireland

New Central Statistics Office (CSO) data has revealed the counties which have the highest electricity bills, and Donegal has the lowest in Ireland.

The median annual electricity bill in Ireland was €880 last year, which was 3% lower than 2022.  In Donegal, the median bill was €726 - down by €20 compared to 2022. In 2021, the mid-point electricity bill in Donegal was €1,066.

Donegal has had the lowest average electricity bills in the State for many years. The CSO report revealed that nationally, 58% of households paid less than €1,000 for their electricity in 2023. This is compared to 56% in 2022 and 35% in 2021.

The lowest electricity bills were found mostly along the west coast, while the counties with the highest bills were typically in the east and southeast.

The counties with the lowest bills were Donegal (€726); Leitrim (€753); Mayo (€799); Roscommon (€813) and Kerry (€830).

The counties with the highest bills were Kildare (€1,020); Meath (€1,011); Wicklow (€976); Carlow (€951) and Laois (€950). Other findings include more than a quarter of homes in Kildare with a BER cert using electricity as their main space heating fuel. This is compared with just 15% in Donegal.

Briain Kelly EnergyEfficiency.ie, offered some practical advice for homeowners looking to pay less for their electricity over the coming months.

“There are some simple ways that people can lower their electricity bills, and it is a good idea to switch providers regularly to get the best deal,"he said. “The second is to monitor your consumption and see whether a different plan might work for you. If you have an EV, for example, then a night boost plan with very low overnight rates might be the best option."

"Simple habit changes can also save you a fortune - things like taking shorter showers, closing doors behind you, and using more energy-efficient appliances. Finally, home energy upgrades can also slash your annual bills by hundreds of euros. These upgrades include door replacements, triple glazing windows, better insulation and solar panels.”