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Charities receive share of £750,000 following electricity firm investigation

16 Sep 2026 News

Pylons

Credit: Vincent van Zeijst

An electricity company will pay £750,000 to five charities following an investigation by Northern Ireland’s Utility Regulator.

Bryson Energy, National Energy Action, Samaritans, Age NI, and NSPCC will each be receiving a payment of £150,000 from Electric Ireland as an alternative resolution of the probe.

Electric Ireland was found to have failed to comply with the obligations of its Electricity Supply Licence by the regulator following a compliance investigation.

Alongside other remedial actions and compliance commitments, Electric Ireland offered the alternative resolution of payments of £150,000 to the five charities.

Despite Electric Ireland exiting the Northern Ireland residential market, its commitments remain binding.

Pat Austin, director of National Energy Action, welcomed the donation, which he said would “help us support our work in Northern Ireland including directly supporting vulnerable households experiencing fuel poverty”.

Electric Ireland was previously made to pay £250,000 to local charities after a separate failure to comply with the obligations of its Electric Supply Licence in 2020.

NSPCC, Advice NI, Samaritans, Aware NI and Women's Aid NI were the recipients of this payment, receiving £50,000 each.

Meanwhile, SSE Airtricity Gas Supply and SSE Airtricity Electric Supply previously paid £450,000 to charities in 2019 after another investigation by the Utility Regulator.

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