The Utility Regulator has welcomed SSE Airtricity Gas Supply’s announcement that it will be reducing its regulated gas tariff in the Greater Belfast area by 18.7% from the 1 April 2020.
Jenny Pyper, Chief Executive of the Utility Regulator said:
“I am delighted to welcome SSE Airtricity Gas Supply’s reduction of 18.7%, which is great news for their domestic and small business customers[i] in the Greater Belfast area. The key driver for this tariff change is the significant decrease in wholesale gas costs. There is also an over recovery from the current tariff period that is being returned to customers in this new tariff.
"We started this tariff review process in February 2020, which included a thorough analysis of all SSE Airtricity Gas Supply cost elements. Their customers can therefore be confident, that due to our regulation, their bills reflect the actual costs of supplying gas to their homes and businesses.
“This reduction brings SSE Airtricity’s prices to below where they were in 2017 and will result in a saving of around £108 a year for their customers. This new tariff will continue to be the lowest in the UK and RoI. The new tariff will be 12% lower that the GB price cap average and 36% cheaper than the Bord Gais standard tariff in RoI.
“As always, we will continue to look ahead and monitor SSE Airtricity Gas Supply’s cost elements and should any movements require a tariff change, we will act as soon as possible to ensure this is reflected in customer bills.
“In relation to electricity, we have begun a review with Power NI regarding their domestic regulated tariffs and expect an announcement in the coming months. Whilst we can’t pre-empt the outcome, given the falls being seen in wholesale prices, I would be hopeful of a positive outcome for electricity consumers before the summer.”
The tariff decrease will come into effect from 1 April 2020. Today’s announcement follows the ongoing tariff review process that is carried out by SSE Airtricity Gas Supply and the Utility Regulator, in consultation with the Department for the Economy and the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland.
A briefing paper is also available.
ENDS
Notes to editor
- For further information, please contact Adele Boyle on 028 9031 6664 or 07787 279584.
- The Utility Regulator is the independent non-ministerial government department responsible for regulating the electricity and gas industries and water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland.
- This tariff review commenced in February 2020 and covers around 166,000 customers in the Greater Belfast area. The review also covers customers in the Gas to the West area where a number of customers are connected.
- The average domestic customer will see their bills decrease by around £108 per year and the average bill will fall to around £468 per year.
- The SSE Airtricity Gas Supply standard tariff is 12% lower than the average of the GB price cap. Both have VAT rates of 5%.
- The SSE Airtricity Gas Supply standard tariff is 36% lower than the Bord Gais standard gas tariff in the RoI. This includes VAT at 13.5% in RoI and 5% in NI.
- The Greater Belfast area covers: South, West, East and North Belfast; Carrickfergus; Newtownabbey; Duncrue and Harbour; Lisburn; Carryduff; Castlereagh; Ballygowan; Newtownards; Larne; and North Down.
[i] Business customers using less than 73,200 kWh per year.