8 March 2018: SSE Airtricity, Northern Ireland’s market-leading provider of natural gas, is today announcing a 7.8% increase in its regulated natural gas prices from 1 April 2018 for its home and small business customers.
The price increase means a typical household natural gas customer will see gas costs rise by £39 annually, equivalent to 11 pence per day1. The increase has been examined and approved by the Utility Regulator.
The change in gas prices is as a result of a rise in external costs outside of SSE Airtricity’s control. These include increases to charges for using gas networks, which affect all suppliers, as well as sustained increases in the cost of wholesale natural gas on global markets2.
Today’s announcement follows the annual review by SSE Airtricity of costs associated with its regulated natural gas supply business. This gas price review, which is conducted at this time every year, was completed by SSE Airtricity in consultation with the Utility Regulator, the Department for the Economy, and the Consumer Council of Northern Ireland (CCNI)3.
Andrew Greer, General Manager of SSE Airtricity Gas, said:
“We’re sorry we have to announce an increase in our regulated gas prices. This decision is not taken lightly and is driven by rising external costs outside of our control, including cost increases for transporting gas to customers via the networks and continued increases in the global wholesale cost of natural gas.
“We’ve worked hard to help reduce the impact of these external costs, and our customers can be assured that this change has been examined and approved by the Utility Regulator.
“As always, we will continue to do everything to ensure we consistently deliver value to our customers in their gas supply, and to provide the greatest possible help and outstanding service that our customers expect from us.”
The price change applies to 150,000 SSE Airtricity home and small business customers or around 75% of the natural gas market in Greater Belfast. The change also applies to customers on the Gas to the West network where SSE Airtricity is the commissioning supplier for the new network currently being developed4.
SSE Airtricity is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the FTSE-listed and Scotland based SSE plc.
SSE Airtricity is a trading name of SSE Airtricity Gas Supply (NI) Limited which is a member of the SSE Group. The Registered Office of SSE Airtricity Gas Supply (NI) Limited is Millennium House, 25 Great Victoria Street, Belfast, BT2 7AQ. Registered in Northern Ireland No. NI032810.