Price cut for some Firmus gas customers

Firmus Energy has announced its gas price in the Ten Towns area will fall by almost 12% in April, equivalent to £136 a year for a typical customer.

The price cut follows a review by Northern Ireland's utility regulator.

The regulator imposes price controls on the major incumbent suppliers - electricity firm Power NI; SSE Gas in Belfast and the west; and Firmus in the Ten Towns network.

There will be no change in prices for SSE gas customers after the review.

The price for Firmus customers in Belfast, which is not subject to regulatory approval, is also currently unchanged.

The Ten Towns area includes Antrim, Armagh, Banbridge, Ballymena, Coleraine, Craigavon, Newry, Londonderry and more than 25 other towns and villages in the surrounding area.

The regulator said the cut reflected decisions taken last year.

"When the Firmus Energy tariff was set in April 2024, this included an allowance to recover higher than forecast wholesale gas costs from the previous tariff period," a statement explained.

"The company has now recovered those costs. This is the main reason for the 11.84% decrease to Firmus Energy's new tariff."

The regulator added that it was important to note that the wholesale energy market continued to be volatile.