Price of gas to increase for Ulster homes

Fury as 150,000 customers hit by hikes

FIRMUS energy gas customers are the latest to be hit with a price hike in Northern Ireland.

The news comes just 10 days after rivals SSE Airtricity announced a 7.8% increase for its 150,000 Belfast customers.

But firmus is rolling out two different price rises.

Tariffs in Greater Belfast will go up 8.8% on April 16, while customers in its “Ten Towns network” will see their bills increase by 6.8% on April 5.

Those are Antrim, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Coleraine, Craigavon, Derry, Limavady, Newry and more than 20 other towns and villages in the surrounding areas.

Firmus managing director Michael Scott said: “The decision to raise our tariffs is regrettable and never easy.

“However, in this instance the cost of bringing natural gas to our customers has increased and our price rise has been unavoidable. We work hard to keep our tariffs as low as possible, to offer price stability for customers and give them confidence in natural gas.”

The Consumer Council spokesman Richard Williams said: “This is unwelcome news, however we know the Ten Towns tariff is analysed by the Utility Regulator, and in Greater Belfast firmus energy competes with SSE Airtricity’s ‘regulated’ tariff.

“The typical firmus energy annual bill in Ten Towns will increase by £39 per year to £619.

“This compares to £534 for regulated SSE Airtricity customers in Greater Belfast. “This difference is mainly due to firmus energy recovering a previous discount on the tariff which was designed to encourage the take up of natural gas in the Ten Towns.

“The Utility Regulator has determined that this additional cost will be paid off by consumers by December 2019.

“We would encourage these customers to shop around and get the best possible deal.”

COSTS Firmus bills will typically increase by £39