Lunn says gas price hike will hit households hard

Alliance Enterprise Spokesperson Trevor Lunn MLA has said that the Firmus gas price rise for towns outside Belfast could has very serious implications as regards fuel poverty. Firmus said it will increase its price in towns in serves outside Belfast by 28.4% for domestic customers from 1 October.

Trevor Lunn MLA said: “This is a troubling development and it comes on the back of bad news as regards prices from Power NI and forecasts about rises in the price of coal. This gas price rise could have a very serious impact in relation to fuel poverty in the towns that will face this price change and the increase will hit households very hard.

“We need to look at innovative ways of trying to keep energy prices low like further promotion and use of renewable energy and home insulation schemes.

“There is a worrying trend of energy price rises and I believe that joined-up action at Executive level is essential to address this problem and tackle fuel poverty head on.”

ENDS