The Commission for Regulation of Utilities has launched a new campaign to encourage consumers to switch energy supplier.
The CRU said its research shows that customers who switched to the best available discount tariff, or who renegotiated every year for the past four years could have saved almost €2,500 on their energy bills.
The new "Switch it Up" campaign features a series of awareness initiatives and advertisements.
It has been launched to encourage people to take action with regards to energy bills and usage, as they could have saved €1,700 on their electricity bills and €740 on gas, if they switched supplier each year for the previous four years.
The CRU will also highlight a range of other actions for consumers, including using smart meters to sign up to a "Time of Use" tariff that suits their energy use to allow them to better control their energy bills.
Karen Trant, Director of Consumer Policy and Protection with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, said its new campaign is about empowering consumers to make the right decisions when it comes to their energy supplier.
She said that on average only 20% of electricity customers have switched supplier in the last four years, meaning almost 1.7 million customers do not switch electricity supplier when they can on an annual basis.
"We encourage all consumers to engage with their energy suppliers, whether through switching, negotiating, or simply checking in to see what options are available to them," she said.
"Every consumer has the power to take the steps to positively impact their energy bills," she added.
"With energy costs at the forefront of many people's minds, the CRU encourages customers to regularly check deals and offers available on any CRU-accredited price comparison website. These resources ensure people can stay up-to-date and informed on the best tariff rates available in the market.," she added.
The CRU also said that measures will remain in place this winter to address the continuing financial pressures faced by energy customers.
These measures include discounted tariffs for financial hardship metered customers, promotion of the vulnerable customer register, minimum timelines for debt repayment plans, and debt repayment on pay-as-you-go top-ups.
