RUSSIANS RAISE GAS PRESSURE

Further price hikes on the way. State ‘limited in ways to help’

- PAT FLANAGAN

FURTHER energy price hikes could be on the way amid fears Russia will cut off gas supplies – as the Taoiseach warned the Government can only help so much.

Many households are facing bi-monthly energy bills of €600 each for gas and electricity pushing more than 40% of families into fuel poverty.

Electric Ireland became the latest supplier to up its energy prices, hiking electricity bills by 26.7% and residential gas bills by 37.5% with effect from October 1.

But costs are set to rise even further if Russia refuses to restart supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, worsening a shortage that threatens to tip the continent into an energy crisis this winter.

On Friday, Russian state energy giant Gazprom said it would not resume flows through the pipeline as planned as it had detected an oil leak.

 

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