More pain as electricity and gas price hikes take effect

A sharp increase in the cost of heating a home with natural gas has now come into effect in Northern Ireland.
By Niall Deeney
Published 3rd May 2022, 17:09 BST
File photo dated 22/04/12 of a £10 note burning on a gas hob. Energy bill rises and increases in fuel costs are expected to push the latest inflation figure to 2.8% today, well above the Government's 2% target. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday March 19, 2013. The upward movement in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measure of inflation for February follows a four-month run when it has remained at 2.7%. See PA story ECONOMY Inflation. Photo credit should read: Rui Vieira/PA WireFile photo dated 22/04/12 of a £10 note burning on a gas hob. Energy bill rises and increases in fuel costs are expected to push the latest inflation figure to 2.8% today, well above the Government's 2% target. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday March 19, 2013. The upward movement in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measure of inflation for February follows a four-month run when it has remained at 2.7%. See PA story ECONOMY Inflation. Photo credit should read: Rui Vieira/PA Wire
File photo dated 22/04/12 of a £10 note burning on a gas hob. Energy bill rises and increases in fuel costs are expected to push the latest inflation figure to 2.8% today, well above the Government's 2% target. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday March 19, 2013. The upward movement in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measure of inflation for February follows a four-month run when it has remained at 2.7%. See PA story ECONOMY Inflation. Photo credit should read: Rui Vieira/PA Wire

A price rise of 37% for Firmus gas customers in Belfast kicked in on Tuesday, along with a 16.31% price rise in the ‘Ten Towns’ network in more western areas of Northern Ireland.

Together, the price increases will impact over 100,000 customers.

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The Belfast price rise was announced by Firmus Energy last month, and the Ten Towns hike was announced in March.

The Northern Ireland Consumer Council estimates the increase in Belfast will add around £330 per year to a typical gas bill for those with a credit meter, and around £325 per year for those with a ‘pay-as-you-go’ prepayment gas meter.

In the Ten Towns area, the price hike will add around £211 per year to a typical household bill for those with a credit meter to bring the annual price to around £1,504. For those with a prepayment gas meter, the hike amounts to an extra £201 per year, to an average of £1,432, according to the Consumer Council.

The price increases are the latest in a series of drastic energy cost rises.

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In March and April, several electricity providers announced severe price rises.

Electric Ireland, the third largest supplier in the Northern Ireland market, announced a 30% rise in its tariffs that came into effect on May Day.

Just last week, another two suppliers announced electricity price increases — SSE and Budget Energy.

Budget will hike its prices by more than a quarter — 27% — from May 27, while SSE Airtricity will increase its prices by a third — 33% from the beginning of next month.

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And adding to the pain for consumers are the consistently sky-high home heating oil and vehicle fuel costs, which have undergone only slight decreases since a peak in March.

The average cost of 300 litres of home heating oil in Northern Ireland, according to the latest weekly price checker figures published by the Northern Ireland Consumer Council, is £273.21.

The average cost of a litre of petrol in Northern Ireland, meanwhile, is 161paccording to the latest figures.

For diesel, the average price in Northern Ireland is 173.4p.

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Energy prices have increased dramatically across the world following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia is the world’s leading supplier of natural gas, and one of the world’s leading suppliers of oil. Ukraine, meanwhile, is a key route for gas transport.

Related topics:Northern IrelandBelfastEnergy Prices