The Irish Independent today report that :
The latest figures from the energy regulator show that 1,852 homes had their electricity cut off - while 633 had the gas disconnected between January and March 2015.
The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) said in a report that these domestic disconnections cover customers in arrears who cannot pay due to financial hardship as well as customers who choose not to pay.
For electricity customers, this works out at over 600 homes a month. Pretty shocking considering that wholesale prices for gas and oil have come down to their lowest for six years and we have over 2,000MW of "clean, free" wind energy.
Disconnection rates were highest for those with smart meters which are designed to reduce demand during peak periods by charging higher rates. Which means children have to go without dinner when they come home from school if the parents cant afford to put money in the meter. Has anybody looked at the social consequences of these demand reduction measures ?
The pre pay meters are running out in the middle of cooking children's dinners. They were hailed as freeing consumers form bills, empowering them. The reality is it is starving them and forcing kids to eat half cooked food.
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