Judgement has been reserved in an appeal by Northern Ireland Electricity against a court ruling which meant a saving of around £6 u6 a year in household bills. A lawyer for the company told the Appeal Court in Belfast that price controls imposed by the electricity regulator, Mr Douglas McIldoon, were unlawful, because he did not have the power to make them.

The appeal is against a decision by Mr Justice Kerr last June, dismissing NIE's application for a judicial review of the new price controls. He held that Mr McIldoon was required to act because without price controls, consumers would be inadequately protected.

Mr McIldoon held the view that the price in Northern Ireland is too high, and that bills are 23 per cent higher than in Britain, and 25 per cent higher than in the Republic.