ESB may increase home electricity charges next year

THERE was good news and bad news for consumers as the ESB said it may raise charges next year, while two vintners organisations were found guilty of contempt of court in announcing a one-year drinks price freeze effective from last December.

Speaking at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co Donegal, ESB chief executive Padraig McManus guaranteed that such pricing moves would not happen this year, and would have to be looked at over an extended period of time.

However, the ESB has been warned not to see consumers as a “soft target” for price hikes in order to reduce costs for businesses.