By Charlie Weston

Copyright independent

Bord Gáis Energy and Pinergy have joined Energia, Flogas and SSE Airtricity in raising its prices this year.

Electric Ireland is not increasing its electricity prices.

Unit rates and standing charges are to rise for Bord Gáis Energy’s 350,000 electricity customers from October 12, just days after the Budget.

Unit rates will rise by 13.5pc, one of the highest increases seen in the market so far, adding €218 to the average annual bill. The standing charge is also going up.

Bord Gáis blamed what it said was continued increases in network costs, the impact of wholesale energy markets and the higher cost of doing business.

Prices for Bord Gáis Energy’s 270,000 gas customers remain unchanged and Bord Gáis Energy continues to offer the lowest gas standing charge in the market.

Unit rates for electricity will increase by 13.5pc while the standing charges will rise by 12pc.

This will increase a typical bill for Bord Gáis Energy electricity customers by an average of €218 a year.

Today’s News in 90 Seconds, Thursday, September 11

Bord Gáis Energy Dual Fuel customers will see a bill increase of 6.6pc.

Director of customer and commercial at Bord Gáis Energy, Catherine Lonergan, said: “This is our first price increase in three years, and in that time we had two price reductions across gas and electricity.

“We also absorbed network charges in 2024 saving households an average of €100 in electricity and €75 in gas.”

Pinergy is to hit its 28,000 customers with a rise of close to 10pc, from October 13. This will add €199 to the typical annual bill.

Residential microgeneration payments, for those with solar panels, will also remain at 25c per kWh.

Earlier this week Electric Ireland said it was cutting its gas prices and is leaving its electricity prices unchanged in a surprise move.

The State-owned company, which has 1.1 million electricity customers, has bucked the trend after three energy suppliers announced price rises this year.

Electric Ireland said its residential gas prices will decrease by 4pc from November 1.

Standing charges for gas are also going down by 4pc.

Its residential electricity prices will remain unchanged for its residential customers.

However, Energia, SSE Airtricity and Flogas have announced price hikes this year.

Those three companies have a combined customer base of around 600,000.

From October 9, Energia electricity customers will be hit with a 10.9pc increase.

This will work out at a rise of €205 a year on the average bill.

Some tariffs are going up by 20pc, while the feed-in tariff paid to those solar panels is being cut.

Daragh Cassidy of price comparison site Bonkers.ie said the Bord Gáis rise was “a fairly hefty hike that will impact many customers hard”.

He said households should shop around for the best value.

“With no energy credits expected in next month’s Budget, it’s more important than ever for households to be on the best tariff possible for their needs.

“Switching can still save households hundreds on their bills and is more important than ever this winter.”

Mr Cassidy said the Government also needs to give a firm commitment to keep the reduced rate of VAT of 9pc on energy bills.

The last thing households need is for the government to be adding to costs, he said.