In Northern Ireland, you have a say in which electric supplier provides power to your home. While that may some great compared to other regions where consumers are locked into one dominant supplier, it can be overwhelming to decide between the available options.
Often, you’re going to look for which utilities are the most affordable, which have higher taxes and tariffs, and even which is looking into creating a renewable energy supply to combat climate change. If you’re trying to decide between Northern Ireland electricity providers, here’s what you should know.
Budget Energy
As the name implies, Budget Energy is a fairly affordable Northern Ireland energy supplier. On top of that, when they were rated by last year’s Consumer Council survey, they received the most approval out of all the energy suppliers in the region. It’s important to note that a good number of Budget Energy customers rely on Pay as You Go (also known as keypad) meters. This is a popular option because it means you’re only paying for the energy that you use. It’s convenient and it means that you could wind up paying some incredibly affordable electricity prices. Budget Energy does have a handful of complaints to the Northern Ireland Authority though few of them are serious. If you’re looking for a good choice in the electricity sector, this is a solid option.
Click Energy
Click Energy is one of Northern Ireland’s newest suppliers. They stand out because their ultimate goal is to offer every single customer the same tariff rate. The energy supplier states that there is no tie-in, exit fees, or lengthy, expensive contracts. Click Energy’s biggest sticking point is how transparent they aim to be. They say that their energy regulation and bills should never “be a shock” to customers. If this appeals to you and you’re tired of getting the run-around from others in the electricity market, you may want to take a closer look at Click Energy.
Electric Ireland
Having served the Republic of Ireland for many years, Electric Ireland recently relaunched to better suit its consumer base in Northern Ireland. The brand serves around 100,000 homes in Ireland and is trying to branch out to more effectively provide renewables and better energy plans. The company has few complaints but isn’t the most economical on the list. However, their consistency is a big draw for many.
Power NI
Power NI is the largest energy supplier in Northern Ireland and holds over 70% of the single electricity market. Despite the large size, the company has relatively low levels of consumer complaints and few of them ever escalate. Compared to other providers, Power NI has, perhaps, the most robust customer service offerings out of the Northern Ireland Authority. The company is also interested in renewable energy and wind farms.
SSE Airtricity
Second only to Power NI, SSE Airtricity is another popular choice in the electricity market. However, unlike its competitors, SSE has its fair share of complaints and in a consumer satisfaction survey received a middling score of 63% approval. The lack of general customer support makes SSE a difficult recommendation but there are plenty of other customers that enjoy the brand’s service. In this instance, it may be best to weight your options more heavily.
Choosing between Northern Ireland electricity suppliers can be difficult. All of the current options are robust and have their appeal. They each have the occasional drawback as well. That’s why it’s important to weigh costs, benefits, and value. Affordability doesn’t just mean getting the cheapest service you can find. It also means finding the most value for what you’re spending.
