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By Ewan Gawne - Local Democracy Reporter

Utilities bills are to increase in April, with electricity, water and sewerage charges rising by 1.1%.

 

Under the proposed increases, the average domestic customer is expected to pay around £1,250 for all three charges (£645 electricity, £319 water, £293 sewerage).

 

Manx Utilities (MU) announced the inflationary hike, which is in-line with its five-year pricing strategy approved by Tynwald in 2018.

 

The board also published its annual pricing review for the first time, which lets customers see how Manx Utilities sets its prices.

 

Electricity prices are principally down to general inflation and wholesale gas cost changes, whilst water and sewerage charges are calculated on the rateable value of a property.

 

How will charges change?

 

The 1.1% rise reflects the CPI rate of inflation for the last year ending in September 2019.

 

Electricity charges will go up from 16.7 to 16.9 pence, the water rate from 235.5 to 238.1 pence, and the sewerage rate from 215 to 217.4 pence in the pound.

 

Standing charge will increase from 20 to 20.2 pence per day for domestic and commercial users.

 

Industrial users will see their tariffs increase by 1.1%, though no changes have been made to structure of capacity and demand charges.

According to MU, these customers consume a large amount of electricity (more than 30% of total Isle of Man consumption), and contribute significantly to the Manx economy.

 

Non-domestic water and sewerage customers will see their discount cut from 45% to 40%, and there’s no change to the price of septic tank emptying.

 

The discount is being reduced by 5% each year until reaches 25%, as agreed in the pricing strategy.

 

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