Manx electricity, sewerage and water bills to rise with inflation

Manx Utilities' pricing strategy, which was set in 2018, is to be extended a further 12 months

Electricity, sewerage and water bills are to rise in line with inflation on the Isle of Man, the chairman of Manx Utilities has confirmed.

It follows Tynwald's backing of the firm's five-year pricing strategy being extended for a further 12 months.

The 5.7% inflationary rise in the sewerage rate from 1 April was also approved by politicians.

Chairman John Wannenburgh said the rises were "vital" to enable investment in the services provided.

The changes will see an average increase of £70 for electricity bills and £21 in the water rate for households each year.

Those rises would generate an additional £5.6m and £1.1m in revenue for the government-owned utilities provider.

The sewerage rate rise, which would be about £19 annually, was expected to raise another £800,000 in revenue, Mr Wannenburgh said.

Manx Utilities set out its intention to implement that hike last month.

For those with a septic tank, the cost of having it emptied is set to rise by £75 to £225.

'Remaining volatility'

While Tynwald members voted to accept the increases, some MHKs expressed unease about them.

Michelle Haywood said she was "really uncomfortable" basing utilities prices on a strategy from 2018, before major world events including the coronavirus pandemic and war in Ukraine had produced a "seismic shift in the energy supply markets".

A review of the authority's current pricing strategy, agreed by Tynwald in 2018, had been due to be completed by the start of the 2024-25 financial year.

But Mr Wannenburgh said it had been delayed due to the "remaining volatility in wholesale markets", and the extra time would allow for "further stabilisation" and any future reduction in costs.

He said he and his predecessors had worked to "shield" Manx customers from the "full increase in costs it has been facing from the energy crisis".

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