Supplier of Last Resort

If, for any reason, your electricity or gas supplier ceases trading, systems are in place to ensure your lights stay on, gas keeps flowing and you are protected. Established and tested arrangements ensure that affected customers are seamlessly transferred to another provider and there is no interruption of supply. 

We have a suite of powers to protect consumers which includes appointing a ‘Supplier of Last Resort’.  This means we can transfer customers from one supplier to another in the case of a supplier going out of business or exits the market for any reason.

Detailed information will be published and sent directly to impacted customers should a supplier leave the market.  This will include details of your new supplier and tariff and how to get in touch with your new supplier.  Further materials such as answers to frequently asked questions will also be provided to address any further queries you may have.  Throughout this process you will be kept informed and there will be no interruption to your supply.

Impact on bills

Should a Supplier of Last Resort event occur and you are moved to a new supplier, you will be placed on the standard tariff for that supplier.  Details of the tariff will be communicated to you directly.  You are free to switch supplier following this transfer should you feel another supplier better suits your individual needs.  A switch of supplier takes a maximum of three weeks.  

We continue to price regulate the dominant suppliers in our domestic energy markets – Power NI for electricity, firmus energy for gas in the ten towns area and SSE Airtricity for gas in Greater Belfast and the West.  This regulation means we determine the maximum tariff each of these companies is able to charge their domestic customers. Other suppliers, although not price regulated, compete against this tariff.  This helps to keep all tariffs as low as possible and ensure consumers pay a fair price.