Assembly members have criticised Northern Ireland Electricity after it predicted a price rise of about 9 per cent next year.
NIE has said it took the unusual step of advising the Minister of Industry, Sir Reg Empey, of the prospective price increase because of a debate being held in the Assembly yesterday. With prices already higher than elsewhere in the UK, the company said it had been forced to consider the increases because of "rising world energy prices".
The electricity regulator, Mr Douglas McIldoon, criticised the proposed increases but said he did not have the power to influence tariffs and hoped Assembly members would endorse a "ministerial boot up the backside for the industry".
Mr Joe Byrne (SDLP), who moved a debate calling for a review of the electricity sup ply market, outlined the disparity in the prices paid by domestic and commercial users in the North. "Northern Ireland's domestic price per unit is 21 per cent above Scotland, 27 per cent above England and Wales and 53 per cent above the Irish Republic," he said.
Sir Reg said he intended to introduce a bill giving the regulator the same powers as his counterpart in Britain next year.