Leinster House was first warned last January that electricity costs were likely to rise by about 41 per cent if and when a new power contract was signed. By June, the Office of the Government Procurement noted prices would likely increase by about 160 per cent. The outlook was even worse in September when the OGP warned of the potential for a 378 per cent hike in electricity prices and 457 for gas.
As a result, the Oireachtas were switched to market rates, which were “significantly higher” than what they had been paying. “I was certainly prepared for significant step change increases across the invoices sent in by our energy suppliers,” one senior official wrote. “However, even by these standards the current payment request seems very significant.”
Leinster House said they had introduced a range of measures to curb energy usage including changing of external lighting protocols and a reduction in the daily heating period.