Astronomical estimated electricity bills are putting the fear of God into elderly customers, a former mayor of Galway has said.

Councillor Frank Fahy (FG) said he was quoted a bill for two months electricity this summer that turned out to be fifty times more than the actual amount of electricity he had used at his Menlo home.

Cllr Fahy said he was floored when he was told he owed over €1,200 for July and August of this year – but it turned out Electric Ireland’s estimate was well wide of the mark.

“The last bill I got was April and May, and it was €360, which I thought was astronomical. It’s a bill I wouldn’t even get a Christmas, with all the lights and so on. I couldn’t access my online account but I took a meter reading and rang them. They then had a bill for me for July and August for €1,221.69!”

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