THE Consumer Council has urged customers to "review all of their energy costs" after natural gas supplier SSE Airtricity announced a 7.8 per cent hike in prices.
The rise, due from April 1, will cause the average household gas bill to increase by £39 a year.
Around 150,000 home and small business customers, most based in greater Belfast, will be impacted.
The change also applies to customers on the Gas to the West network where SSE Airtricity is the commissioning supplier for the new network being developed.
Richard Williams from the Consumer Council said: "Now is a good time for consumers to take control of all their energy bills and review all their energy costs, including electricity.
"Switching payment, changing billing method or implementing simple energy efficiency measures, can also help save money. We have lots of resources to help; including a step by step switching guide and energy efficiency advice."
General manager of SSE Airtricity Gas, Andrew Greer, apologised for the price hike.
"We’re sorry we have to announce an increase in our regulated gas prices. This decision is not taken lightly and is driven by rising external costs outside of our control, including cost increases for transporting gas to customers via the networks and continued increases in the global wholesale cost of natural gas," he said.
