Electric Ireland is the supply division of the Electricity Supply Board, the former monopoly electricity company in Ireland. The company now operates in an open market competing for the supply of retail electricity to residential customers. Other major suppliers are Airtricity and, more recently, Bord Gáis Energy. The business was known as ESB Customer Supply and ESB Independent Energy before 4 April 2011. The brand was a transitional one; in January 2012, all references to ESB were dropped and it is simply known as Electric Ireland.