SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone has welcomed news consumers will not be paying 'exorbitant' prices that NI Electricity had been pushing for customers to pay.

The Competition Commission's final determination set the cost to be paid for electricity by consumers over the next three years stating consumers will see their bills lowered by £10 by 2017. NIE has also been asked to refund consumers for the period since April 2012 when this price control was originally due to come into force.

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Mr McGlone, who is chair of the Assembly's Enterprise, Trade & Investment Committee, said: "This news justifies the involvement of the Utility Regulator from the word 'go'. The Competition Commissioner has upheld the view that NIE's costings would see bills for the average consumer soar; at a time when many families are facing severe hardship and are struggling to pay household bills.

"However, the one aspect of the Commissioner's decision that I find utterly bizarre is that consumers will end up footing half the bill – upwards of £1.4 million – of the costs incurred by a private, commercial business – NIE – in challenging the original decision. That is really bizarre."

(CD/JP)