What a night rate tariff really is
A night rate, or "time of use" tariff, splits your day into bands and charges a different price in each. On a smart meter, the night band runs from 11pm to 8am, every night of the year. If you are still on an old NightSaver (MCC02) meter, the window is 11pm to 8am in winter and midnight to 9am in summer, which is worth checking before you assume anything.
Most suppliers now follow the CRU Standard Smart Tariff bands: night from 11pm to 8am, day from 8am to 5pm and again from 7pm to 11pm, and a peak band from 5pm to 7pm on weekdays. That peak band is the sting in the tail. It exists to push you off the grid at teatime, and it is priced accordingly.
The 2026 rates, in plain cents
Here is roughly what the bands cost across the market in mid-2026. Treat these as current examples, not fixed quotes, because suppliers change tariffs and your final unit price depends on the plan and any welcome discount.
BandTypical range (c/kWh)What runs hereNight (11pm–8am) | 10.77 – 19.15 | EV charging, dishwasher, immersion, heat pump
Day (8am–5pm, 7pm–11pm) | 25.92 – ~30 | Everyday use
Peak (5pm–7pm weekdays) | 27.65 – 39.84 | Cooking, kettle, oven — the expensive window
For a concrete example, Electric Ireland's Home Electric+ Standard Smart plan with a 30% discount lands around 13.62c at night, 25.92c by day and 27.65c at peak. Flogas has offered one of the lowest night rates on the market at about 10.77c/kWh with a wide day-to-night gap. Community Power runs the lowest standing charge at roughly €238.71 a year, but its night unit is dearer at around 19.15c and its peak rate is the highest going at about 39.84c. In other words, a low standing charge does not automatically mean a cheap plan.
The one number that decides it
Every credible analysis lands on the same threshold. You need to shift at least 27% of your total electricity into the night window before the cheaper night unit outweighs the higher day rate and standing charge. Move less than that and a plain 24-hour plan is cheaper.
So the real question is not "is the night rate low?" It is "can I move more than a quarter of my usage past 11pm without turning my life upside down?" For a household that is out all day and cooks at 6pm, the honest answer is usually no.
Who actually saves, and by how much
Three groups win clearly.
Heat pump owners benefit most. An air-to-water heat pump in a typical retrofitted three-bed semi draws about 4,200 kWh a year and runs 24/7 at low output, so 35% to 40% of its use naturally falls at night. Schedule it deliberately and that climbs to 45% to 55%. At around 55% night usage, a smart tariff saves roughly €336 a year against a flat rate — real money for a device that runs anyway. Across the year, heat pump homes typically save €200 to €500.
EV drivers win biggest. Overnight charging is the textbook night-rate use, and dedicated EV plans save roughly €618 to €798 a year. Some plans go further with a "night boost" band from 2am to 4am at an ultra-low rate. On one Electric Ireland setup, charging in that window adds about 82km of range for just under €2 — about 2.5c per km, against roughly 9.5c for an equivalent diesel car. If you drive electric and don't charge at night, you are leaving that gap on the table.
Anyone who can time-shift big appliances. Dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer and immersion on a timer for after 11pm add up. On their own they rarely cross the 27% line, but stacked on top of an EV or heat pump they sharpen the saving.
And who loses? The all-day, teatime-cooking household with no EV and no heat pump. If most of your use is daytime and peak, the higher day and 5–7pm rates will eat any night saving. For that home, a good flat 24-hour plan is the smarter buy.
A practical way to decide
Look at your smart meter data in your supplier's app or on the ESB Networks portal — it shows exactly how much you already use at night. If you are near or above 27%, a smart tariff is likely worth it. If you are well below, either change habits first or stay on a flat plan. One habit worth forming regardless: keep the 5pm–7pm peak as bare as possible on weekdays. Shifting the oven, kettle and tumble dryer out of that two-hour window is the cheapest saving in the whole system.
See our pillar guide: How to Cut Your Energy Bills in Ireland and Save Money
Related: How to Switch Your Electricity and Gas Supplier in Ireland
Related: What SEAI Grants Are Available and How to Apply for Them
One more thing for 2026. A new Dynamic Price Tariff is arriving, where the unit price varies every half-hour with the wholesale market instead of sitting in fixed bands. It rewards people who can be genuinely flexible and punishes those who can't, so watch it, but don't jump until you have seen a few months of real prices.
Bottom line
Night rate electricity is a tool, not a bargain. It pays if you have an EV, a heat pump, or the discipline to run heavy appliances after 11pm and keep the teatime peak clear — enough to push past that 27% mark. If you can't, a sharp flat rate will serve you better. Pull your own smart meter figures before switching, and compare the whole plan, standing charge included, not just the headline night rate.
General information, not financial advice. Rates change — always confirm the current plan details with the supplier before switching.