Extra charges will apply for 'excess' electricity consumption

Those with power supplies of between three and 10 KW contracted from the utility board will pay a supplementary charge if they use more than the average monthly amount of energy.

The additional charges will range from 0.00138 to 0.01546 euros per KW and will be added to the part of the bill that relates to government taxes and fees.

This way, the State expects to earn a further 280 million euros in 2013.

The main aim behind the extra costs is to encourage 'more efficient and responsible' energy consumption and to cut CO2 emissions by penalising excess use.

Average consumption is calculated according to tables laid down by the National Energy Centre which are designed to find a 'pattern' for different households and to avoid penalising those who use a lower than average amount of electricity.

According to the ministry of industry, the impact on household bills will be 'minimal' or 'nil', even though the taxes and charges payable to the government from monthly utility payments make up half of the amount consumers have to shell out.

They say the increase is likely to be between one and eight per cent, although to reach an eight-per-cent rise, excess consumption would have to be 'extreme', or more than double the average.

The application of the 'average consumption' figures will only apply to peak payment times where households have contracted a peak/off-peak usage tariff.