Top gas supplier announces price hike for Northern Ireland households from October

They say the tariff increase is due to the impact of the Middle East conflict

One of Northern Ireland’s largest suppliers of natural gas has announced that it will be hiking its tariffs from the start of October.

Firmus Energy confirmed on Friday a tariff increase of 8.98% for its Ten Towns customers and 12.5% for its Greater Belfast customers. The energy company says this is due to the increased cost of gas on the global energy markets caused by the prolonged conflict in the Middle East.

The Ten Towns new tariff will be effective from October 1 and equates to an extra £7 per month on the average bill for customers in this network area.

The Ten Towns network includes Antrim, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Coleraine, Craigavon (including Lurgan and Portadown), Limavady, Derry, Newry and more than 25 other towns and villages in the surrounding areas.

For customers in the Greater Belfast network the new tariff will be effective from October 8 and equates to an extra £12 per month.

Announcing this tariff change, Sharleen Winning, Head of Regulation at firmus energy Supply, said: “We cannot ignore the impact the situation in the Middle East is having on the cost of energy, and unfortunately this has left us with no option other than to increase our tariffs. We have held off for as long as we could in the hope of a resolution that would lead to a reduction in the global wholesale prices.

“As Northern Ireland’s largest gas supplier by volume, we want to provide the best value possible to all our customers and we have demonstrated that when we are in a position to reduce tariffs, we do so without delay, and we hope to be able to do so again, once the global markets allow this.”

Customers seeking to switch to natural gas for instant heat and constant hot water, or to get advice on their bills or direct debit payments should contact the firmus energy Supply’s locally based Customer Services team on 0330 024 9000 or via customerservice@firmusenergy.co.uk.

For free and independent advice on how to save energy contact NI Energy Advice Line on 0800 111 4455.

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