Douglas McIldoon: Set out pricing proposals

He said the cost of generating electricity still remained too high.

"It costs significantly more to move a unit of electricity across our system compared to anywhere else in the British Isles," he said.

"We find that situation totally unacceptable."

Responding to the comments, NIE said: "Electricity prices will be frozen across all tariffs until the current regulatory review of the company's transmission and distribution network is completed by the electricity regulator OFREG."

The company added that there were a number of measures domestic and business customers could undertake to reduce their bills.

In November 2000, NIE warned that domestic and business customers faced price rises of about 9% the following year.

At that stage, prices were higher in the province than anywhere else in the UK.

But the company said it had been forced to consider the increases because of "rising world energy prices".