Utility Regulator Northern Ireland

Utility Regulator Northern Ireland We regulate the energy and water industries in Northern Ireland. This page is monitored 9am – 4pm, Monday – Friday.

As an economic regulator, our role is to enable, incentivise, and hold electricity, gas, and water companies to account, to protect the interests of consumers. While we won’t respond directly to comments or posts, if you have any queries, please contact us on [email protected]. You’ll also find lots more information about our work at www.uregni.gov.uk.

We’re delighted to be part of this year’s Charity Shop Challenge in partnership with Business in the Community Northern ...
27/05/2026

We’re delighted to be part of this year’s Charity Shop Challenge in partnership with Business in the Community Northern Ireland, all in support of Cancer Focus Northern Ireland.

This Friday, 29 May, we’re taking over the Holywood shop - Cancer Focus NI for a day filled with style, sustainability and community spirit! Expect great finds, feel-good fashion, and plenty of opportunities to support an incredible cause.

Come along, grab a bargain, and help us raise vital funds - every purchase makes a difference!

📍 66 High St, Holywood
📅 Friday 29 May
⏰ 10am – 4pm

Can’t make it? You can still show your support by donating here 👉
https://www.justgiving.com/page/charityshopchallenge

Thank you so much for helping us make a difference.

27/05/2026

Ofgem have announced the latest price cap for GB, which doesn’t apply to Northern Ireland.

In Northern Ireland, we regulate the gas prices that firmus energy Supply (Ten Towns area) and SSE Airtricity (Greater Belfast and Western areas) charge to households and small businesses, and the electricity tariff Power NI charges to households. We scrutinise the costs incurred and cap the profits for these companies.

In early May, we announced a review of Firmus Energy Supply and Power NI’s prices. We expect to make an announcement on the outcome of these reviews in the coming days.

Our short video explains how we regulate energy prices in Northern Ireland. You’ll also find more information on how we regulate electricity and gas prices on our website:

Electricity - tinyurl.com/5fjpt3hs
Gas - tinyurl.com/372zu8pd

26/05/2026

Did you know you could save money on your electricity bills by switching supplier, billing method or tariff? 💷

With five electricity providers in Northern Ireland, it pays to shop around and find the best deal for you ⚡

Our free electricity comparison tool makes it quick and easy to compare prices, helping you to save money ✅

Read more about the free tools available on our website in this month’s Consumer Watch newsletter: https://bit.ly/48yCNOJ

In our final post this week about the work we do to protect consumers, we talk about price controls that we carry out on...
22/05/2026

In our final post this week about the work we do to protect consumers, we talk about price controls that we carry out on electricity, gas and water companies.

A price control is generally a large complex document that sets out the amount a company can charge its consumers for the service it provides. It also sets out how the company is going to operate, maintain and invest in its assets.

Setting price controls is one of the most significant activities carried out by economic regulators. Price controls are generally used for a company that is in a monopoly position and therefore acts to protect consumers and ensures they get the best value for money from the services provided.

For example, NIE Networks is a natural monopoly – this is because they are the only company that owns the electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure across Northern Ireland. We carry out price controls on NIE Networks to protect electricity consumers by ensuring a quality service is delivered at a reasonable cost.

Over the last five years, we have delivered 12 price controls, that saw savings of around £755 million delivered for consumers. For every £1 we spend, around £11 is saved over the completion of these price controls.

The work of the Utility Regulator can often seem complex and technical, but the main purpose of our work is straightforward – to protect energy and water consumers.

To find out more about our work on price controls, visit our website: www.uregni.gov.uk/regulation

This week, colleagues across the Utility Regulator have been taking part in our annual Wellbeing Week. Supporting mental...
21/05/2026

This week, colleagues across the Utility Regulator have been taking part in our annual Wellbeing Week.

Supporting mental health and wellbeing is always a priority for us, and this week has provided a valuable opportunity to pause, connect and focus on looking after ourselves through a range of activities.

We've heard from inspiring speakers, including Adam Martin, who delivered seminars on the importance of physcial wellbeing for mental health, and Johanna Ferguson who led an impactful guided session on goal setting and reflection. We've also enjoyed pilates, yoga, a lunchtime walking group, a financial wellbeing session from Kith & Kin, and the first of our 'UR Coffee Club' talks from Lena.

Thank you to everyone who got involved in both delivering and attending the sessions. We're ending the week feeling refreshed, energised and positive!

21/05/2026

As part of our consumer protection role, we often promote initiatives and services that the regulated companies offer to customers who need extra support.

One of these services are the customer care registers available through your electricity and gas suppliers, NIE Networks and Northern Ireland Water.

If you or someone you know, relies on electricity for medical equipment in the home, you can join NIE Networks' Medical Customer Care Register. Medical equipment can include specialised mattresses, feeding systems, oxygen, home dialysis or medicine refrigeration. Once you register, you’ll receive extra support during a power cut. NIE Networks has also provided information on how you can prepare for an unplanned power cut.

NI Water has a Customer Care Register that offers a range of free additional services to older people, those with a serious medical condition or consumers who need extra help for any other reason.

Electricity and gas suppliers also hold customer care registers and offer a range of free additional services for customers who are pensionable age, chronically sick, disabled or require help for any other reason.

Our video provides further information on all the care registers offered by energy and water companies.

You can find more information about how to sign up to these registers on our website: tinyurl.com/mtkvff8m

Protecting consumers is always at the heart of our work. Electricity and gas consumers are protected by standards that...
20/05/2026

Protecting consumers is always at the heart of our work.

Electricity and gas consumers are protected by standards that we have set, that your supplier must follow. These standards are called Codes of Practice.

The Codes of Practice contain requirements that electricity and gas suppliers must meet as part of their licence. As their customer, if you find that your supplier has not met one or more of these standards, you can raise a complaint with them.

There are a number of Codes of Practice, including:

🔷Code of Practice on Payment of Bills.
This sets out the help and protections in place for consumers struggling to pay for their electricity or gas.

🔷Code of Practice on Consumers in Vulnerable Circumstances.
This provides additional protection and support to those consumers who need it. If you need extra support from your supplier due to your circumstances or needs, you could benefit from the help outlined in this Code.

🔷Code of Practice on Complaint Handling Procedure.
This ensures that your electricity and/or gas supplier offers a free and fair complaints process. This allows you, as their customer, to make a complaint if you are dissatisfied by any service you have experienced.

🔷Code of Practice on Services for Prepayment Meter Customers.
This provides protection to domestic consumers who either have a prepayment meter or are thinking of getting one, for their electricity or gas supply.

Interested in finding out more about the Codes of Practice? Visit our website for more information:
www.uregni.gov.uk/what-we-do-protect-you

19/05/2026

An important part of our consumer protection role is regulating the prices that electricity and gas suppliers charge.

We regulate the gas prices that SSE Airtricity Gas Supply (in the Greater Belfast and West areas) and Firmus Energy (in the Ten Towns area) charge to their domestic and small business customers. We also regulate the electricity price for Power NI’s domestic customers. We refer to these as the regulated electricity and gas tariffs.

This regulation means we continuously monitor and scrutinise the various costs that make up these regulated tariffs. We also cap the profits for these companies.

Our short video explains how we regulate energy prices in Northern Ireland.

You’ll also find more information on how we regulate electricity and gas prices on our website:

Electricity - tinyurl.com/5fjpt3hs
Gas - tinyurl.com/372zu8pd

18/05/2026

We’ve had quite a few new followers recently and thought it was time to re-introduce the Utility Regulator and explain more about the work we do for energy and water consumers in Northern Ireland. We’ll post a range of information this week to explain the work we do.

The Utility Regulator is the economic regulator for electricity, gas and water in Northern Ireland and our main duty is to protect consumers.

You can find out more about what we do in our video and on our website: www.uregni.gov.uk

Final day at the Balmoral Show ✅ 🤠 Thank you to everyone who visited our stand to find out more about what we do.We’ve h...
16/05/2026

Final day at the Balmoral Show ✅ 🤠

Thank you to everyone who visited our stand to find out more about what we do.

We’ve had a brilliant time chatting to consumers about our regulation and consumer protection programme. We hope you all had a great time at the Show.

For more information on our work, visit our website www.uregni.gov.uk.

Day three at the Balmoral Show has been a busy one.Our stand has been buzzing today as people came with questions about ...
15/05/2026

Day three at the Balmoral Show has been a busy one.

Our stand has been buzzing today as people came with questions about their energy and water services, and we were glad to walk them through how we support and safeguard consumers.

We’re at stand 62 in the Eikon Shopping Village. Come see us if you’re around today or tomorrow.

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Belfast
BT16ED

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