Nearly Half of Northern Ireland Homes Have Never Switched From Power NI, Regulator Says
Utility Regulator publishes 'sticky customer' data showing 49% of domestic connections have remained with incumbent supplier
Almost half of household electricity connections in Northern Ireland have never switched from the incumbent supplier, Power NI, the Utility Regulator said as it published data on so-called "sticky customers" for the first time.
Of 848,983 domestic connections across Northern Ireland, 49% have never changed from Power NI, the regulator's annual monitoring report showed. Power NI is the largest supplier in the region and the only one subject to direct price regulation by the Utility Regulator; it announced a 4% price increase last week.
The report found that more than 93,000 households switched electricity supplier in 2024, a decline from the previous year. The regulator said switching across both electricity and gas fell in 2024, a trend it described as consistent with markets stabilising after several volatile years. Pricing data in the report indicated that, for most customers, prices have reduced.
Complaints data published alongside the switching figures showed more than 30,000 electricity complaints in 2024, a level unchanged from the prior year. Complaints from gas customers rose during the period, with billing, payments and customer service cited as the most common issues.
The Utility Regulator has previously urged customers to shop around for the best available deals. The newly released sticky-customer statistics provide the regulator and other stakeholders with a clearer picture of how many households remain with the incumbent supplier and may inform future consumer engagement and policy work.
Industry observers have linked the decline in switching to a return of market stability after sharp price movements in previous years, although the regulator's report did not attribute the trend to a single cause. The monitoring report is intended to provide an overview of competition, consumer outcomes and supplier behaviour in the local energy market.
Power NI's status as the only regulated supplier means its prices are set under the regulator's remit, while other suppliers operate under commercial pricing arrangements. The regulator's publication of sticky-customer data marks the first time the measure has been disclosed in its annual monitoring output.
The report's figures underline ongoing customer-service challenges in the sector and maintain pressure on suppliers and the regulator to address bills and payment disputes. The Utility Regulator said it will continue to monitor switching patterns, pricing trends and complaints as part of its oversight of the local energy market.