Energy bills to go up for Power NI and Firmus customers
Power NI and Firmus will raise prices from 1 July, with both blaming higher global energy and gas costs.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Households in Northern Ireland using Power NI electricity or Firmus gas will face higher bills from 1 July. The companies say global energy costs, and market-linked charges, have made the increases unavoidable.
Two companies in Northern Ireland are raising energy prices. One sells electricity, and the other sells gas.
It is a bit like a shop getting more expensive to run, so the shop has to charge more for its goods. The companies say the price of energy around the world has gone up.
That means families may have less money left after paying their bills. Even small rises can matter when lots of people are already trying to save money.
Analysis
What is changing
Power NI says its electricity unit price will rise by 6.2% across Northern Ireland from 1 July. The company says that will add about £5 a month to the average household bill.
Firmus says its natural gas tariff for Ten Towns customers will rise by 15.65% over the same period. It says that works out at an extra £2.47 a week, or about £10.70 a month, for the average household.
Why the companies give for the rise
Both suppliers point to higher global energy and gas prices. Power NI director of customer solutions William Steele said the company had held prices down for as long as possible, but said sustained increases in global gas costs, plus higher network and market-related charges, made the change unavoidable.
Firmus director David Smith linked the latest tariff rise to elevated wholesale prices while the conflict in the Middle East remains unresolved. He said the company had cut tariffs three times over the last year, bringing them down by more than 27% and saving customers about £300 a year on average.
Wider context
The Utility Regulator said the increase is not welcome for consumers, but said continued rises in wholesale energy costs, driven by the conflict in the Middle East, have led to the changes. It also said the conflict has affected home heating oil, petrol and diesel prices.
The story matters because it connects global energy markets with day-to-day household spending. Even after earlier tariff cuts, the new increases mean many customers will see their bills move back up again from July.
Key points
- Power NI will raise electricity prices by 6.2% from 1 July.
- Firmus will raise its Ten Towns gas tariff by 15.65% from 1 July.
- Power NI says the average household bill will rise by about £5 a month.
- Firmus says the average household will pay about £10.70 more a month.
- The companies and the regulator blame higher global energy and gas prices, including effects from Middle East conflict.
