Surge in business for new NI electricity firm...

A new Irish electricity company, which offers a pay-as yougo service and does not issue bills, has signed up more than 350 customers within weeks of its launch.

Prepaypower was set up in 2009 and, after a development phase, was launched on a pilot basis at the start of this year. This month, the company moved out of this test phase and expects to hit 500 customers by this week.

Aidan O’Neill, Prepaypower’s chief executive, said the firm installed its own technology in customers’ homes and customers could then purchase ‘‘credit’’, similar to a mobile phone, and input the unique code into their home system.

The firm charges the same unit prices and standing charges as the ESB, but also applies a fixed daily charge of 30 cent. O’Neill said customers could top up at about 500 prepay points nationwide, or could top up over the phone.

As yet, no online top-up service is available, but the firm is currently developing such a facility. Customers can top up by €5, €10 or €20, or by combinations of these amounts, subject to a daily cap of €175.

http://www.sbpost.ie/news/ireland/surge-in-business-for-electricity-firm-55351.html