A Derry woman whose home is currently being converted to gas supplied by Firmus has hit out at the company’s decision to increase its prices by nearly 15 per cent for customers outside Belfast.
It means around 20,000 customers in the so-called “ten towns,” including Derry, will pay on average of £5 a month, beginning next month.
The company is blaming the “coldest March for over 50 years with a prolonged snowfall” that resulted in wholesale gas prices reaching almost double the normal winter price due to the high demand which depleted much of the UK’s gas reserves.
The woman, whose Galliagh home is currently being converted to gas, said she felt “let down” by the gas company.
She said: “When we first expressed an interest in getting gas, we were ‘promised the moon.’ The workmen are just at the final stages of installing all the pipes that we need to get gas. I am very angry they have let us get this stage before they announce a price increase.”
The woman, who did not wished to be named, added: “On top of that they decide to increase the price just as we are begin to experience colder weather. They’re having a right laugh.
“They are blaming this increase because of the cold weather we had in March. I dread to think what is going to happen if we ever have a winter like we had a couple of years ago when temperatures were as low as -10 degrees for weeks.”
She concluded: “They say also the increase is because of the ‘prolonged snow’ in March. They might have had snow in Belfast and its surrounding areas, but we did not have any here. So why are we being included in this increase?”
Firmus insists its tariffs remain among the lowest in western Europe.
Rates for customers in the greater Belfast area will stay unchanged – although these were subject to an almost nine per cent increase in April in line with a rise in rival Airtricity’s tariff.A spokeswoman for the firm said the increase brought prices “more in line” with those charged in Belfast.
Firmus general manager Michael Scott said the rise was being made “with regret” saying “any increase in price is not good news for customers.”
He said: “We understand the importance of price stability for customers and for the past two years we have been able to absorb fluctuations in costs and wholesale energy prices.”
He added: “Firmus Energy is committed to providing the lowest possible energy cost to customers and we are pleased that our gas price is one of the lowest in western Europe. It is testament to the skill and experience of our dedicated trading team that this is just the third time that we have had to change our tariffs in almost eight years.”
Firmus said it had written to all affected customers informing them of the increase.
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