Tempted by DIY load shedding as energy prices soar in Europe

On Friday, our power company announced a dramatic energy price increase: from 1 October, electricity will go up by 39%, and gas by 35%.

But don’t panic, my South Africans, because I’m in Ireland.

Eskom’s annual increase for 2022 remains below 10%. And to add to the national sigh of relief, you are (possibly, probably) still being load shedded – so just think of all the money you’re not spending on electricity anyway.

Irish household expenses up by R18 500

Following this latest Irish increase, the average household power bill will go up by €1 100 (about R18 500) a year.

To add insult to injury, this is the second price hike in just five months, with the last one happening in May when gas prices rocketed by 39% and electricity by 30%.

Thanks for that, Russia. You do the maths because my head’s already exploded.

In theory, we could change companies – there are several energy suppliers competing in Ireland – but they’re all shooting sky-high in tandem, and we just switched anyway.

It’s not just Valdimir Putin’s mad bad land grab to blame either, because last year prices went up three times.

Before this latest price surge, in July, it was officially estimated by the Central Statistics Office that there’d been a 48% increase in energy bills in the previous 12 months.

Further hikes expected

The good news? What good news?

Further price increases are expected… It’s not a uniquely Irish problem either, being mirrored across Europe.

Over in the UK, households are now looking at an average monthly energy bill of £500 (R9 900).

Last year the collective energy bill of all British households was £30 billion; next year, it’s expected to be £170 billion.

That’s a lot of zeroes, or, to use the mathematical term, a re-sounding “ooof!”

So here in the Republic of Ireland, while staring down another winter of wearing all my jumpers at once, I’m starting to think load shedding might not be an entirely bad thing.

I mean, just think of the money that is saved when you’re sitting in the dark, shivering under blankets, eating sandwiches while playing cards by moonlight.

In fact, now I’m thinking of instituting daily load shedding in my own household, flipping the mains switch off randomly and plunging us into icy darkness to save money. I’m almost serious.

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