If you're a Power NI customer without a keypad meter or a current Airtricity bill pay customer you'll need to organise NIE Transmission and Distribution to change your meter over before you can sign up.

Yes, any credit currently on your KeyPad meter will automatically roll over to Airtricity when you switch. Your new Airtricity rates will apply.

24H, Economy 7 and Powershift are the three different types of Keypad meter tariffs. Only one tariff will apply to your meter.

24 Hour

If you're on the 24 Hour (or Standard) tariff, you'll pay one flat rate for electricity, no matter what time of day it is.

Economy 7

If you're on Economy7 you'll have two rates: a day rate and a separate cheaper night rate. Night rates apply between 1:00am - 8:00am in winter (2:00am - 9:00am in summer).

Powershift

Powershift customers have three rates:

• Low applies between midnight and 8:00am every day, and also between 7:00pm and midnight on weekends
• Normal applies between 8:00am - 4:00pm and 7:00pm to midnight on weekdays, and 8:00am - 7:00pm on weekends
• Peak applies between 4:00pm - 7:00pm on weekdays only.

The times above are winter time, add one hour for summer time e.g. Low applies between 1:00am and 9:00am every day.

Which one applies to my meter?

Most KeyPad customers will be on 24 Hour (Standard) rates. If you're not sure, press '3' on your meter and check the display:

• 'Unit rates and number of units used' will display if you're on 24 Hour rates
• 'Unit rates DL (Domestic), CH (Central Heating) and HW (Hot Water)' will display if you're on Economy7.

You will only be on Powershift if you previously requested it.

When your credit falls to £1 (£2 if you're on Economy7) your Keypad meter will emit a low-volume warning sound for 2 minutes. Press any button on your keypad to turn it off.

If you don't turn it off, this warning sound will repeat every 30 minutes between 11:00am and 10:00pm and your supply will switch off when the credit runs out.

Emergency credit

After you press the button to turn off the warning sound, you'll automatically receive £1 Emergency credit.

Friendly credit

If your Emergency credit runs out, we'll automatically give you Friendly credit to keep your supply on until:

• 11:00am the next day if your credit runs out after 4:00pm (Monday - Thursday)
• 11:00am on Monday if your credit runs out after 4:00pm on a Friday, or over the weekend
• 11:00am on the next working day if your credit runs out on a Public/Bank holiday

The times above are for Winter time, add one hour for Summer time e.g., 12:00pm the next day if your credit runs out after 5:00pm (Monday to Thursday). Your supply will switch off when your Friendly credit runs out.

Paying back Emergency and Friendly credit

If you have had to use Emergency or Friendly credit, this will be deducted from your next top-up.

If you lose your PowerCode before keying it into your meter, you can replace it by:

• Calling our Customer service team on 0845 601 9093 with your KeyPad meter number, or
• Visiting any PayPoint outlet or Payzone outlet with your KeyPad card.

Your last PowerCode will then be re-issued free of charge.

If you lose your Keypad card don't worry - it can't be used with any other meter and you won't lose any credit. Just call our Customer Service team on 0845 601 9093 to report the loss and we'll send a new card out to you within 10 days.

Topping up without your card

If you're running out of credit and need to buy a top-up without your card, just contact our Customer service team on 0845 601 9093 to get your KeyPad Premise number. You can then use this to top-up as you normally would.

Unfortunately, we currently don't offer online top ups. However we're looking into new ways to top up so stay tuned.

If the PowerCode you received is longer than normal this means your electricity prices have recently changed. When this happens you will be given a special 40 or 60-digit PowerCode instead of the normal 20-digit one, which will update your meter with the new rates as well as crediting your top-up.