Code of practice on efficient use of electricity

Let's tackle energy costs together

Power NI knows that customers are keen to find out ways to save money and energy in their homes because of rising energy costs and also to be more environmentally friendly.

This handy guide will help you to think about where you use energy at home and suggest ways to help you save.

You can find out more information on our energy guides or contact us.

Energy saving tips that cost nothing

Start using these energy saving ideas around your home and you should see a reduction in your energy bills. The more you apply, the more you’ll save.

• Turn off games consoles/TVs/iPod docks when not in use – if they are on standby they still use energy.
• Turn lights off when a room is empty.
• Switch to energy saving light bulbs - they use around a quarter of the electricity and will last ten times longer than an ordinary bulb.
• Don’t leave the fridge door open and try to avoid putting hot or warm food straight into the fridge, as this increases the energy required to keep the contents cold.
• Defrost your freezer frequently and check the door seals. 
• Energy saving tips that cost nothing
• Use a lid on saucepans where possible, as the contents heat up faster and use less energy.
• Turn the room thermostat down by 1 degree – it could save you around £30 a year on heating costs.
• Make sure radiators are not obstructed by sofas or other furniture.
• Draw curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping from your home.
• When using a washing machine, use a low temperature setting and only wash full loads where possible - one full load uses less energy than two half loads.
• In summer, dry your clothes outside rather than using a tumble dryer.
• When drying your clothes indoors use a clothes rail, not a radiator. Using a radiator blocks heat from the room.
• Overfilling your kettle costs money - only boil the water you need.
• When buying electrical appliances, choose the most energy efficient (A rated), rather than the least energy efficient (G rated).
• A standard shower uses around 40% of the water needed for a bath.
• Unplug phone chargers/laptop chargers once the appliance is fully charged.

Take a look at the electricity usage in a typical household

Lights use more electricity than anything else in a typical household, so why not switch to energy saving light bulbs today?

To calculate the running cost of any light or appliance, you will first need to find out the wattage.

• An energy saving light bulb, for example, is 20 watts.
• To convert this number to kilowatts (kW), you simply divide by 1000 (20 watts ÷ 1000 = 0.02 kW).
• Multiply this number by the time the appliance is running for (For 2 hours, multiply by 2 or for 15 minutes, multiply by 0.25).
• 0.02 kW x 5 hours means you have used 0.1 kWh of energy.

Now you have calculated the amount of energy used, you can calculate how much it will cost you.

• To do this, you multiply the energy used (0.1 kWh) by the unit cost (each unit of electricity costs approximately 29.44p)

Appliance Running Costs

Generally, most of the electricity we use at home is to run lighting and a wide range of appliances. This guide provides an indication of how much various appliances cost to run. These costs depend on their function and efficiency. Although different models will vary, this should provide you with a rough guideline.

*Costs listed below are based on a rate of 29.44p per unit of electricity (Home Energy Standard Rate) Including 5% VAT.

Energy Saving Measures

Cavity Wall Insulation

What can it do for my home?

Save up to £115 each year off your energy bills by installing Cavity wall insulation*

What is it?

The walls of most homes have two layers of bricks, internal and external, with a small air gap or cavity between them. Cavity wall insulation involves filling this gap with insulation material.

Loft Insulation

What can loft insulation do for my home?

By installing loft insulation, you could save up to £150 each year off your heating bills*.

What is it?

Loft insulation is one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency. It is a man-made material, which comes as a rolled quilt, and is laid down between and over the joists on the floor of your loft, so it is quick and easy to install.

New boiler

With home heating making up about 60% of your annual energy bills, it can really make sense to upgrade your boiler to a new, more efficient one.

Why get a new boiler?

• A new boiler heats the water for your home and your radiators quickly and efficiently
• Many homes use oil or gas boilers for their central heating, but if your boiler is over 15 years old, then it is probably due for an upgrade
• Rather than worry about your boiler breaking down just when you really need it, enjoy complete peace of mind with a brand-new boiler

Help Available

By joining our confidential customer care register you could benefit from the services that we offer.

• Password scheme – if you are worried about bogus callers, you can give us a password to use each time we call.
• Carers contact service – if someone helps you manage your bills, we can post your bills directly to them. We can also contact them if we need to reach you at any time.
• Braille bill – if you are blind we can send a copy of your bill and all other correspondence in Braille.
• Talking bill – if you are blind or partially sighted, we can phone you with details of your bill. You will get the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
• Large print bill – if you have a sight difficulty, we can send a copy of your bill and all other correspondence in large print.

We also work closely with a wide range of experts that may be able to support you further.

Advice NI

Freephone the advice helpline on 0800 915 4604 or email [email protected]

Christians Against Poverty

Freephone the debt advice helpline on 0800 328 0006 available

Monday to Thursday 9.30am - 5.00pm and Friday 9.30am - 3.30pm

Macmillan Cancer Support

Freephone the support line on 0808 808 0000 (8am - 8pm daily) or visit www.macmillan.org.uk

Age NI

Freephone the advice helpline on 0808 808 7575 available 

Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm or email [email protected] for information on practical support and free benefit checks for older people

Discounted Options

Online billing

Save up to £60 a year* with our paperless billing service

• Keep track of your balance, bills and payments day and night
• Enter your own readings and avoid estimated bills
• Reduce your carbon emissions by receiving no more paper bills!

Register today for online billing

Keypad

Get FREE** electricity and no more bills with ‘pay-as-you-go’ Keypad.

• 2.5%** discount off all your electricity.
• Keypad reward - receive FREE electricity each time you top up £50 or more via online or app!
• 24 hours a day, 7 days a week top-up via online, app or phone – you can also top up at any post office or PayPoint outlet.
• Free installation and no rental fee.

Sign up today by contacting us.

Direct Debit

Save up to £40 per year and help spread your costs

• Up to £40 savings a year with monthly direct debit***
• Up to £26 savings a year with quarterly direct debit****
• A quick and easy way to pay in manageable amounts

Call us today, visit out contact us page to sign up – it only takes a few minutes

* All discount are off the Power NI standard Home Energy unit rate, see the Power NI website for current rate. The maximum discount would be obtained by a customer spending £250 each quarter on electricity.
* Online billing Direct Debit customers. 6% discount off standard rate up to £15 per quarter.
** When a top up is eligible for Keypad Reward, the cost per kWh is reduced to reflect the free electricity, e.g. £50 credit will give users the amount of electricity that normally costs £51.
*** Monthly Direct Debit customers get a 4% discount up to £10 per quarter, equivalent to £40 per year. 
**** Quarterly Direct Debit customers get 2.5% discount up to £6.50 per quarter, equivalent to £26 per year. 

Other Useful Numbers

• Consumer Council: 028 9025 1600
• Disruption to electricity supply (Northern Ireland Electricity Networks): 03457 643 643
• Customer Helpline, visit our contact us page.
• Northern Ireland Housing Executive - NI Energy Advice Line: 0800 111 44 55

Power NI lines open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. Calls are recorded for quality assurance. 

Download a copy of our Efficient Use of Energy guide