What are the day-ahead electricity prices?

Day ahead electricity prices are the wholesale electricity prices set each day for the following day, broken down into half‑hour periods.

On the Smart Dynamic plan, these prices influence what electricity costs at different times, helping reflect real‑time supply and demand on the grid. These come from the Irish Day-Ahead Market (DAM).

View the day-ahead prices here.

How can day ahead prices affect what I pay?

Here are a few simple examples:

• Lower‑price periods
  On a windy night with lots of renewable generation, prices may be lower. Using appliances like a dishwasher or washing machine then could cost less.
• Higher‑price periods
  On a cold, still evening when demand is high, prices may rise. Using electricity at these times can cost more.
• Shifting makes a difference
  Moving flexible use – like charging an EV or running a tumble dryer – from a high‑price slot to a lower‑price one can help reduce costs.

Prices can go up or down, which is why Smart Dynamic includes important safeguards from wholesale price spikes, such as:

• A price cap, so dynamic half hour unit rates can’t rise beyond set limits. This is set by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) and is currently set at €0.50 per kWh.
• High‑price alerts, to give you a heads‑up when prices are expected to be higher. We’ve a default high price alert of €0.32 per kWh, which you can change if you choose.