CONTROL room staff at the north's main electricity systems operator are to take industrial action from next week in a dispute over pay.
And the long-running row could ultimately lead to consumers in Northern Ireland facing heftier bills, according to the Prospect trade union.
It has labelled SONI (System Operator for Northern Ireland) as "arrogant" following a breakdown in negotiations over wages, which haven't risen since 2015.
Prospect has given SONI formal notice of the industrial action, which it says will initially consist of action short of strike, but "will escalate, and fast" if pay demands aren't met.
The union's negotiations officer Angela Moffatt said the EirGrid-owned company has failed to improve its previous offers, despite last ditch talks initiated via the Labour Relations Agency.
"We made a generous proposal which compromises on our claim and allows for an arbitrated solution, but they said it wasn't good enough, which smacks of the kind of arrogance we’ve become used to," she added.
Prospect says the action being undertaken by control room staff means there will be "limited if any" capacity to cover the functions they withdraw, which will lead to disruption for third parties including NIE and Mutual Energy.
"Somewhere down the line that cost and disruption will pass to the consumer,” Ms Moffatt added.
SONI general manager Robin McCormick said it is "regrettable" that union members have opted for this course of action.
"We recently invited all union representatives to participate in independent arbitration through the LRA and have also made what we feel is a fair pay offer which has been rejected," he added.
“We are keen to continue engagement with Prospect and to work through the offices of the LRA to reach a satisfactory outcome for all involved, and the offer of independent arbitration remains on the table.
“Right now, our priority is to continue to maintain a secure supply of electricity to homes and businesses across Northern Ireland at the least possible cost.”
Meanwhile a report by energy supply firm Naturgy (formerly known as Vayu) says wholesale gas and electricity prices in the north fell by 39 per cent and 29 per cent respectively compared to the same quarter last year, when the ‘Beast from the East’ results in huge spikes in demand.
On a month-by-month basis, gas was down 16 per cent and electricity by 12 per cent, the latest Naturgy Energy Review and Forecast shows.
The review shows further stability in the gas market is expected in the coming month, with healthy supply forecasts and mild weather conditions potentially leading to reduced demand.
In the electricity market, the report highlights the importance wind generation has on wholesale electricity prices, with the monthly decrease due to a high proportion (41 per cent) of generation coming from renewable sources during March.
Naturgy energy analyst Lauren Stewart, said: “The losses in wholesale gas prices are in stark contrast to March 2018 when the ‘Beast from the East’ hit Northern Ireland
“The impact of Brexit has loomed over the new Single Electricity Market (SEM) since it has been established, with questions over how it would continue to trade in the case of a no deal Brexit.
"But the SEM committee has advised market participants that the market would continue to trade as normal in the case of a no deal Brexit, but may be less efficient.”
The report revealed that wind generation, which significantly impacts wholesale electricity prices, represented 29 per cent of Ireland’s generation in 2018.
