Electricity prices in Northern Ireland are set to rise by almost 11%, Northern Ireland Electricity has announced.
The price rise, to be introduced on 1 April, would mean a typical domestic bill going up by Ј3.10 a month.
NIE said it regretted the size of the increase which, it said, had been caused by rising international fuel prices.
The Consumer Council for NI said low income families in particular would find this increase "a struggle".
The price rise is less than expected. In January, NIE warned prices could rise by up to 20%, due to the cost of gas.
However, the company said a recent drop in the summer gas price had enabled them to limit the increase.
NIE says that after several years of relatively stable prices it was "disappointing" to announce an increase on this scale, but that it had to pass on escalating fuel prices.
It pointed out that the wholesale price of gas had risen by 75% in the last year.
NIE spokesman Robin Greer said the company appreciated its announcement would be unwelcome news for customer.
"After several years of relatively stable electricity prices in Northern Ireland, it is desperately disappointing that this tariff increase has been necessary," he said.
"NIE has withheld some of the rising costs of fuel over the last couple of years, but it is just not possible to do that indefinitely in the face of such unprecedented cost increases."
The Consumer Council for NI said the increase was a "regrettable addition" to householders' spiralling list of bills.
The watchdog said that the combination of rising home heating bills, sharp increases in rates bills and the introduction of water charges, meant low income households, in particular, would find this increase a struggle.
(BBC)
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