Firmus Energy to hike gas tariffs

The increase will be 12% in both Belfast and the Ten Towns which includes Antrim, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Coleraine, Craigavon Limavady, Londonderry, Newry and more than 20 surrounding towns and villages.

The typical household bill in the Greater Belfast area will increase £5.47 per month or £1.26 per week, the firm said, while in the Ten Towns area, bills will rise by £6.25 per month or £1.44 a week.

Stating that the Ten Towns increase had been approved by the Ultiliities Regulator, MD Michael Scott said: “We know that price stability is important for our customers and regrettably this increase is unavoidable.

“Our pricing team has engaged extensively with the Utility Regulator, the Department for the Economy and the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland in relation to our regulated tariff in the Ten Towns licensed area,” he said adding that the Ten Towns increase was caused by a rise in the wholesale cost of gas in the global market and increases in the cost of transporting natural gas in Northern Ireland.

The firm has more than 38,000 customers in the Ten Towns area and 49,000 in Greater Belfast.