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Electricity biils to fall by 3% Electricity bills to fall by 3%
(about 15 hours later)
Electricity bills are to drop by 3% from 1 April to reflect the falling price of gas, Northern Ireland Electricity has said.Electricity bills are to drop by 3% from 1 April to reflect the falling price of gas, Northern Ireland Electricity has said.
They said the saving would have been more, had it not been for the costs involved in installing anti-pollution equipment at Kilroot Power Station.They said the saving would have been more, had it not been for the costs involved in installing anti-pollution equipment at Kilroot Power Station.
The new tariff will remain in place until at least November.The new tariff will remain in place until at least November.
The 3% cut will reduce the average annual household electricity bill by £11 to £370.The 3% cut will reduce the average annual household electricity bill by £11 to £370.
The price is now on a par with the average in Great Britain and 17% below the price in the Irish Republic.The price is now on a par with the average in Great Britain and 17% below the price in the Irish Republic.
NIE's 50,000 small and medium sized business customers, including farms, will also see their bills fall on average on 3%.NIE's 50,000 small and medium sized business customers, including farms, will also see their bills fall on average on 3%.
NIE spokesman Robin Greer warned cleaning up Kilroot would probably cost customers more.NIE spokesman Robin Greer warned cleaning up Kilroot would probably cost customers more.
"The new tariffs reflect lower wholesale gas prices offset by £40m towards the cost of emissions cleaning equipment at the AES-owned Kilroot power station," he said."The new tariffs reflect lower wholesale gas prices offset by £40m towards the cost of emissions cleaning equipment at the AES-owned Kilroot power station," he said.
"It is likely that consumers will be required to meet furthercosts associated with this work." "It is likely that consumers will be required to meet further costs associated with this work."
Market to openMarket to open
US company AES won a high court battle to make the customer pay for theenvironmental work on Kilroot which would have been forced to close if it wasnot upgraded to meet new EU standards. US company AES won a high court battle to make the customer pay for the environmental work on Kilroot which would have been forced to close if it was not upgraded to meet new EU standards.
The reduced price has been approved by the regulator Ofreg, whose chiefexecutive Iain Osborne said it was a welcome more. The reduced price has been approved by the regulator Ofreg, whose chief executive Iain Osborne said it was a welcome more.
"Any downward movement on tariffs is a welcome development and thisreduction should be particularly good news to households facing bill increasesfrom other sources this year," he said. "Any downward movement on tariffs is a welcome development and this reduction should be particularly good news to households facing bill increases from other sources this year," he said.
The Consumer Council welcomed the announcement of the reduction butpointed out that it would have been some 7% if consumers did not have to pick upthe tab for cleaning up Kilroot. The Consumer Council welcomed the announcement of the reduction but pointed out that it would have been some 7% if consumers did not have to pick up the tab for cleaning up Kilroot.
Joanne Gamble, the council's head of energy, said any additional costs should be kept to a minimum.Joanne Gamble, the council's head of energy, said any additional costs should be kept to a minimum.
"Yet again this is due to the legacy of the privatisation of electricity in 1992, which continues to mean that long-suffering customers will again have to pick up the cost of pastdecisions and contracts, which have proved not to be in the customers'interests," she said. "Yet again this is due to the legacy of the privatisation of electricity in 1992, which continues to mean that long-suffering customers will again have to pick up the cost of past decisions and contracts, which have proved not to be in the customers' interests," she said.
In November the Northern Ireland domestic electricity market will be opened to competition in conjunction with the introduction of the all-island wholesale electricity market.In November the Northern Ireland domestic electricity market will be opened to competition in conjunction with the introduction of the all-island wholesale electricity market.