Variable yellow tariffs offered by electricity suppliers through the country’s new color-coded tariff system, introduced January 1 to simplify price comparisons, were lower-cost options than their variable green-tariff alternatives for a third consecutive month in March, despite a significant drop in green tariffs.

Yellow and green tariffs are both variable tariffs, but the former are set at the end of each month.

Some suppliers offered yellow tariffs that were as much as 18 percent lower than their green tariffs in March, a comparison of offers has shown.

Yellow tariffs averaged a price of 10.27 cents per KWh last month, 3 percent lower than the month’s average for green tariffs, which was 10.58 cents per KWh. Yellow tariffs offered by suppliers ranged from 9.13 cents per KWh to 12.85 cents per KWh in March.

Power utility PPC, the retail market’s dominant player, offered a yellow tariff level of 9.83 cents per KWh in March, for monthly consumption of up to 500 KWh, and a green tariff of 10.83 cents per KWh.

Protergia’s yellow tariff, dubbed Value Fair, was set at 9.18 cents per KWh in March, while its green tariff offer was priced at 10.78 cents per KWh.

Elpedison offered a Smart yellow tariff of 9.83 cents per KWh in March, 9 percent lower than the supplier’s green tariff, priced at 10.76 cents per KWh.

NRG’s Time 4U yellow tariff was set at 10.64 cents per KWh in March, 7 percent below its green tariff offering of 11.50 cents per KWh.

On the same wavelength, Zenith’s Power Home More yellow tariff in March was priced at 9.81 cents per KWh, 6 percent lower than its green tariff, priced at 10.47 cents per KWh.