Reduction is good news for gas customers

This is welcome news for natural gas customers across the ten towns - including Lurgan - in which it operates. The tariff reduction, which was agreed following discussions with the Utility Regulator, DETI and the Consumer Council NI, will mean annual savings of around £29 for an average domestic customer.

Michael Scott, managing director for firmus energy said: “We are delighted to announce a reduction in natural gas bills for our customers, particularly as we come into the winter months. firmus energy consistently keeps natural gas prices in our network area as low and stable as possible for our customers and we are delighted to bring a 5% reduced rate effective from 1 October, 2015.

“We will continue to monitor costs and wholesale fuel prices closely to ensure the price we charge our customers is the best value that we can offer.

“As we approach our tenth birthday, we have invested more than £90 million and laid more than 980km of gas pipelines enabling properties in more than 20 towns, cities and villages to benefit from natural gas.”

The reduction will be applied to domestic and business tariffs. Customers looking for advice on their gas bills or direct debit payments should contact the firmus energy Customer Care team on 0800 032 4567. Anyone seeking information on connecting to natural gas can also go to www.firmusenergy.co.uk

The Consumer Council welcomed the decsision.

Richard Williams, Head of Energy at the Consumer Council said: “The reduction in Firmus Energy’s tariffs of up to 10 per cent in Greater Belfast and five per cent in the ten towns is positive news for consumers. The reduction comes on the back of sustained falls in the international wholesale gas market and follows last week’s announcement from SSE Airtricity. Overall, this will mean the annual gas bill of a typical household with a credit meter in Greater Belfast will fall by £57 and £31 in the ten towns.”

If you have a complaint or enquiry concerning natural gas you can contact the Consumer Council on 0800 121 6022, email [email protected], twitter (@ConsumerCouncil) or facebook (Consumer Council Northern Ireland).

Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister, Jonathan Bell, also welcomed the recent announcements and said: “Recent announcements by both firmus and SSE Airtricity are good news for consumers. The tariff reductions have been possible due to falling wholesale gas costs, and will result in a reduction to both household and business gas bills, which is especially welcome as we approach the winter months.

“From 1 October SSE Airtricity will reduce retail gas tariffs for its domestic and smaller business customers in Greater Belfast by 10%, following on from an earlier reduction of 7.8% in April this year. In addition firmus energy will also reduce gas tariffs, from the same date, for domestic and small business customers in the Ten Towns licence area by 5%.

“firmus energy has also committed to reduce it gas prices by up to 10% in Greater Belfast.”