A key tool to minimise electricity costs isn't being utilised correctly.
Around 4 per cent of electricity customers with smart meters installed are using them properly.
More than 930 thousand meters have been installed in homes and businesses around the country.
But just shy of 38 thousand users have activated the meters and signed up for tariffs, according to the Irish Independent.
It comes as energy companies have hiked electricity prices heading into the winter.
Almost a million smart meters not being used in €1.2bn scheme https://t.co/kcnAhjZHPC
— Independent.ie (@Independent_ie) September 22, 2022
Aoife Foley, professor in energy systems engineering at Queen's University Belfast, says most users are missing one step.
"There's another step that you need to do, which is basically contacting your retailer and updating them of your situation."
"You need to inform them that you've had ESB Networks into your premises and that you'd like to avail of smart metering tariffs."
