The Commissioner for Energy Regulation has told an Oireachtas Committee that household electricity disconnections are running at 2,500 per month, equating to 80 per day.
Michael Tutty said the vast majority of cases were resolved with a mutually agreed payment arrangement between both sides.
Mr Tutty defended the imposition of disconnection and reconnection fees.
He said they acted as an incentive for people to clear their bills and not let them accumulate.
He also defended the upcoming 4.9% increase in energy prices and said the perception that electricity prices have been increasing in recent years was not correct.
Mr Tutty said there had been two reductions in electricity rates in 2009 and they had remained static since.
On price comparisons with Northern Ireland, the Commissioner said the higher costs in the Republic were due to the 8.5% VAT differential between the jurisdictions.
