Firmus to raise gas prices by 38% in Ten Towns area

Gas supplier Firmus Energy is to increase prices for customers in much of Northern Ireland by more than a third.

Tariffs in the Ten Towns network area will rise by 38.18% on 3 December, a move that will add £4.89 per week to the average household bill.

The price increase will affect around 55,000 customers.

The company apologised for the increase but said it was an unavoidable consequence of surging global gas prices, which have risen by 430% from a year ago.

The Ten Towns area includes Antrim, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Coleraine, Craigavon, Limavady, Londonderry, Newry, and more than 25 other towns and villages in the surrounding areas.

Prices in the same area had already been increased by 35% in October.

Explaining the latest rise, Dr David Dobbin, chairman of Firmus Energy, said: "We very much regret having to increase our tariff however steep increases in global wholesale gas prices have forced our hand.

"This is a not a Firmus issue, but a challenge faced by every local and national supplier of gas and electricity all of whom, sooner or later, will have to further increase their prices to meet the huge upsurges which have taken place in wholesale energy costs.

"We know this is an unwelcome increase which will have a disproportionate effect on those of our customers who are the most vulnerable.

"We have been consulting with key stakeholders and will be introducing a support scheme to be delivered through a local charity which will offer targeted help to those most in need, especially over the winter period."

The Consumer Council has warned of a rise in fuel poverty because of the increased energy costs.

Raymond Gormley, head of energy policy at the Consumer Council, said: "While the Utility Regulator forewarned that a price rise of this nature was coming because of exceptionally high global wholesale gas prices, it is going to be very challenging for many households to afford these costs.

"With the cost of energy continuing to increase, the Consumer Council is concerned about a potential rise in fuel poverty as some families may struggle to find the extra money they will now need to pay for heating."

Firmus Energy also supplies gas to the greater Belfast area. Tariffs in that area rose 32.98% last month.

Another supplier, SSE Airtricity, previously announced a 21.8% increase in gas prices for household and business customers in Northern Ireland.

Giving evidence to a Stormont committee last week, the Consumer Council said the price for heating a home in Northern Ireland rose by 70% in October.

Members of the Economy Committee were also warned that the high prices for gas, electricity and oil are likely to last for several months.

The spiraling energy costs has led to calls for the Stormont Executive to introduce emergency legislation to protect families who are struggling to pay their fuel bills.