Bills & Payments

What is a standing charge?

Q: How can I tell if my bill is estimated?

If your bill is based on an estimated reading the letter ‘E’ will be shown beside the meter reading on page 2 of your bill. If the meter reader is unable to read your meter when they visit, we will use an estimated reading to produce your bill. We use your usage history to calculate estimated readings. How to avoid an estimated reading To avoid an estimated bill provide NIE Networks with your own reading within 24 hours of the meter reading visit and we’ll use that instead. You can do this in a number of ways: On the NIE Networks website By phone - call NIE Networks on 03456 093 030 By Email - send NIE Networks an email with your name, address, Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) and meter reading to meter.reading@nie.co.uk

Q: If I receive an estimated bill how can I get an accurate one?

Contact us and provide us with your customer account number and an up-to-date reading. We’ll be happy to process your reading to produce a revised bill for you. Please try to provide us with an accurate reading as soon as possible after you receive your bill.

Q: How do I estimate my next bill?

Our online billing service on your online account has a handy bill calculator feature which you can use to estimate how much electricity you’ve used to date. If you have not activated your online account you can register here . If you receive bills by post, you can calculate your electricity costs by: Taking your current meter reading and subtracting the previous meter reading (find this on your last bill) to find out how many units you have used. Next multiply the units used by the current unit rate for your tariff ( find your unit rate ). Add VAT at 5%.

Q: How is my bill calculated?

Northern Ireland Electricity Networks (NIE Networks) read all electricity meters four times a year and send the meter readings for our customers to us. Remember, NIE Networks is a different organisation to Power NI. When we receive your meter reading we work out how many units of electricity you have used since the last time your meter was read and multiply this figure by the current unit rate for your tariff. Your tariff and current unit rate can be found on page 2 of your bill. We then deduct any discount (for example if you pay by Direct Debit) and add VAT. If you miss the meter reader, they’ll usually provide an information card explaining what you need to do. If we don’t receive a meter reading, we’ll estimate your bill based on your previous usage patterns. Find out how/if your bill is estimated

Q: How can I calculate how much I owe since my last bill?

You can use the bill calculator tool to calculate the approximate cost of your usage since your last bill. Simply enter your current meter reading(s) and click the ‘Estimate now’ button. Please note the amount displayed is an estimate of your usage and will not be used to produce any bills.

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Bills & Payments
Bill understanding and calculation

A standing charge is a fixed daily amount that helps cover the maintenance of your electricity supply. For customers on Power NI Home Energy tariffs, there is no additional standing charge applied to your tariff. However, Economy 7 and Electric Vehicle tariffs do have a separate daily standing charge, which is billed quarterly along with your electricity usage. Standing charges also apply to Business & Farm tariffs.

If you're not sure which tariff you're on, you can check your bill, visit our unit rate page, or contact us directly and we’ll be happy to help.

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Bills & Payments

What is a standing charge?

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