SSE Airtricity has announced that they are putting up prices for gas customers by a whopping 42.7%, from 1st July 2022.
The scale of the latest hike, coming on the back of a 39% price increase in April, will shock people, and many will genuinely be worried about how they will be able to afford their energy bills.
What does the price increase mean for customers?
An increase of 42.7% is a substantial hike for the 187,000 SSE Airtricity gas customers across the ‘Greater Belfast’ and ‘Gas in the West’ network areas.
This will mean a typical customer with a credit meter will see their bill rise by £372. Customers with a prepayment gas (PAYG) meter will see an increase of around £367 per year.
The latest increase comes only three months since the last price increase from SSE Airtricity, which added 39% to energy bills. Since April 2022, customers will have seen their bills increase by almost 82% adding around £615 to a typical annual bill.
What SSE Airtricity have said…
SSE Airtricity have stated that the main driver for the price increase is due to rising wholesale costs which are beyond their control and make up a significant part of the final bill paid by each customer.
Andrew Greer, SSE Airtricity General Manager (NI) said:
“We understand energy prices are a serious concern for families across Northern Ireland and know this is not the news our customers want to hear. The cost of purchasing natural gas has remained at its highest level in over a decade and at times in recent months, it has hit record highs
We would encourage any customer who is having difficulty with their energy costs to please contact us, and we will work with you to find a solution together. Meanwhile, we will continue to watch markets closely and will pass on reductions as soon as we can.”
I’m a SSE Airtricity energy customer…what network am I in?
SSE Airtricity is the regulated gas supplier across two network areas in Northern Ireland – the Greater Belfast Network and West Network area. As the regulated gas supplier in these areas the price increases have been approved by the Utility Regulator.
The Greater Belfast (Phoenix Distribution area) covers: south, west, east and north Belfast; Carrickfergus; Newtownabbey; Duncrue and Harbour; Lisburn; Carryduff; Castlereagh; Newtownards; Larne; and North Down.
The West Network (SGN Distribution area) is bringing gas to areas including Coalisland, Cookstown, Dungannon, Magherafelt, Omagh, Enniskillen, Strabane and Derrylin.
Get in touch with your energy supplier
As everyone realises we are living in uncertain times. It’s important to get in touch with your energy supplier to discuss any payment issues or concerns and help manage your account. Even providing an up to date meter read can make sure your payments are accurate and up to date.
Finding a better deal…
At ‘Power to Switch’ we compare all tariffs and deals across all electricity suppliers to save you money. Switching is quick, hassle-free and means you keep more money in your pocket. You don’t even have to tell your old supplier you are leaving!!!
For more information, advice and support on energy issues visit www.powertoswitch.co.uk or follow us on facebook or twitter
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[1] Annual cost is calculated using a typical annual consumption of 12,000kWh |
