Dynamic electricity pricing, explained
A new kind of electricity plan has arrived in Ireland. Instead of a fixed unit rate, the price follows the wholesale market and changes every half hour — cheaper when there’s plenty of wind and sun, more expensive when demand peaks. Here’s how it works, and how the suppliers differ.
- 30 min
- Price updates
- 24 hrs
- Known ahead
- 50c
- Wholesale cap
Irish wholesale electricity price
Below is the day-ahead market price (SEMOpx). This is the rate that dynamic tariffs track. Drag the bar below the chart to zoom.
Raw wholesale price only — no supplier base rate, network charges or VAT. Source: SEMOpx day-ahead market (Republic of Ireland).
How a dynamic bill is built
Three parts, one of them moving
Every Irish dynamic tariff follows the same CRU model. Two parts are fixed and predictable; only the third tracks the market.
Standing charge
A fixed amount per year for being connected to the grid — exactly like any other plan.
Base unit rate
A fixed charge per unit covering network costs and supplier margin. Some suppliers split it by day, night and peak; Bord Gáis uses one flat rate.
Dynamic unit rate
The wholesale price for that half hour, published a day ahead and capped at 50c/kWh. This is the part that moves.
The unit price, every half hour
unit price = ( min( wholesale, 50c ) + base rate ) × 1.09
A quiet, windy afternoon
(12 + 22.74) × 1.09 = 37.9c
Wholesale at 12c, Yuno day base rate.
A cold evening peak
(50 + 25.19) × 1.09 ≈ 82c
Wholesale at the 50c cap, Yuno peak base rate.
The wholesale part is floored at zero and capped at 50c/kWh; the base rate depends on the time of day for most suppliers; VAT of 9% applies to both.
Supplier by supplier
How each supplier builds its dynamic plan
The dynamic (wholesale) part is the same for everyone. The difference is the base rate and the standing charge — so the cheapest dynamic supplier depends on when you actually use electricity.
| Supplier | Base structure | Base rate (c/kWh inc VAT) | Standing charge €/yr urban / rural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Ireland | Day / Night / Peak | 19.81 / 8.52 / 22.55 | 328.58 / 400.48 |
| Energia | Day / Night / Peak | 21.97 / 12.51 / 22.92 | 265.01 / 337.02 |
| Yuno Energy | Day / Night / Peak | 24.79 / 11.28 / 27.46 | 397.39 / 445.16 |
| Bord Gáis Energy | Flat (all day) | 16.73 | 331.96 / 394.50 |
| PrepayPowersoon | — | Not yet published | — |
Plus the dynamic unit rate (wholesale price, capped at 50c/kWh) and 9% VAT on the energy charge, for all suppliers. Rates as published June 2026.
The bottom line
Is a dynamic tariff worth it?
It comes down to two things: whether you’re happy with the trade-off, and whether your home can actually act on cheap prices.
The trade-off
✓ Pros
- When wholesale prices are low, often on windy or sunny days, you pay well below a fixed unit rate.
- Tomorrow’s prices are published a day ahead, so you can plan with no surprises.
- It’s greener, too: the cheapest hours are usually when wind and solar are plentiful, so shifting your usage into them lowers your carbon footprint as well as your bill.
✕ Cons
- There’s no shelter from wholesale spikes — a single peak half hour can reach around 82c/kWh.
- Bills change from month to month, so they’re harder to budget for.
- The savings depend on actively shifting your usage. Without that effort, a fixed plan is often the cheaper option.
Who it suits
Worth a look if
- You drive an EV and can charge it overnight.
- You have a home battery or solar that can store cheap energy for later.
- You can move big loads like the dishwasher, washing machine or heat pump.
- You don’t mind a quick glance at tomorrow’s prices.
Less suited if
- Most of your electricity is used at peak times and can’t shift.
- You need the same predictable bill every month.
- You’d rather set up a plan once and not think about it.
Would a dynamic plan actually save you money?
We can price the last 12 months of your real smart-meter usage against live wholesale prices — and show you, half hour by half hour, whether a dynamic plan beats your cheapest fixed option.
Find your cheapest planFree. Uses your actual smart meter data.
Wholesale prices sourced from the SEMOpx day-ahead market. Supplier rates from each supplier’s published tariffs and updated regularly.