The latest Wholesale Price Index, published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on Tuesday October 27, shows that wholesale electricity prices increased by 92.8% in the 12 months to September 2026.
Prices rose by 6.8% in September alone, continuing the upward pressure on energy costs.
Despite the sharp annual increase, wholesale electricity prices remain 53% below the record peak reached in August 2022, during the European energy crisis.
The figures also reveal significant increases across other energy products.
The price index for all energy fuels rose by 10.9% in September and was 47.6% higher than in the same month last year.
Meanwhile, the overall Energy Products Index increased by 7.8% during September and was 79.5% higher than a year earlier.
The monthly rise in energy fuel prices was largely driven by increases in fuel oil, which rose by 12.3%, and gas oil, excluding autodiesel, which increased by 11.5%.
Call for support
The latest figures have prompted renewed calls for Government intervention to protect households from rising energy costs.
Sinn Féin finance spokesperson and Donegal TD Pearse Doherty said the Government must acknowledge that Budget 2027 failed to adequately address energy costs and immediately reintroduce electricity credits for households.
Responding to the CSO figures, Deputy Doherty warned that the sharp increase in wholesale prices would place further pressure on families this winter.
“The fact that wholesale electricity prices have almost doubled over the last 12 months means higher costs will inevitably feed through to household bills this winter, at a time when workers and families are already under severe pressure.
“The Government’s budget went nowhere near far enough to address energy costs and has left households to take the hit.
“Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Independents need to come to their senses and immediately reintroduce energy credits, as Sinn Féin has repeatedly called for.
“Ireland already has the highest electricity prices in Europe because of the Government’s failure to invest in energy infrastructure and their decision to prioritise data centres over the needs of workers and families.
“That leaves us as a State particularly exposed to international shocks that drive up energy costs, with ordinary people left to pick up the bill."
Other increases
The CSO figures also show that manufacturing producer prices increased by 7.4% in the year to September.
Prices for manufactured goods sold on the domestic market rose by 2.4%, while prices for exported goods increased by 8.1%.
Food producer prices rose by 1.2% over the year, with fish and fish products recording an increase of 9.6%, while meat and meat products fell by 9.4%.
Wholesale construction product prices also increased, rising by 3.8% in the 12 months to September.
