Disappointment in a 6.1% increase in regulated electricity prices

Power NI, the largest electricity supplier in Northern Ireland, is set to increase its tariffs by 6.1% on 1 October 2019. The average Power NI annual bill will increase by £35. This means that the average Power NI bill will now be £600 per year.

Paulino Garcia, Head of Energy Policy at The Consumer Council said, “It is important that consumers in Northern Ireland see the benefits from the fall in wholesale gas prices over the past year. This is especially relevant as the Office of National Statistics Family Spending Survey shows that households in Northern Ireland spend £68, or 11.50%, more per year on electricity than the UK average.”

Paulino noted, “Power NI and the Utility Regulator have agreed a 6.1% increase that is, mainly, due to higher charges from the electricity network provider and the market operator.”

The Consumer Council would wish to highlight that electricity customers could save up to £92 on their annual bill if they switch supplier. The Consumer Council has a free, independent, online energy price comparison tool providing an easy way to compare prices, available at www.consumercouncil.org.uk.