Electric Ireland to increase energy prices

A single electricity market operates across the island of Ireland

Electricity supplier Electric Ireland has announced residential electricity prices will increase by 13.3% from October 2018.

The company said the move is a direct response to sustained increases in wholesale energy prices.

In a statement, the firm said it was "committed to keeping prices as low as possible".

Electric Ireland entered the residential market in Northern Ireland in 2015.

Since then, it says it has gained more than 80,000 residential customers.

'Difficult decision'

The price increase is expected to cost households with average electricity usage an extra £5.32 a month.

Sales and marketing manager of Electric Ireland, Clare McAllister, said the price increase "has been a difficult decision to make," adding that increasing supply costs meant the company had to "re-evaluate pricing".

"We can assure our customers that, even when our price increase is implemented on October 1, Electric Ireland's prices will continue to remain competitive against other leading suppliers," she added.

Last week, Power NI also announced it would increase prices in October.