Electricity prices in Northern Ireland are set to rise later this month. NIE has confirmed that it is to meet the energy regulator on Friday to review tariffs for both domestic and business users. Sharp increases in wholesale prices of oil, gas and coal are being blamed for the anticipated increase. The energy regulator, Iain Osborne, has already said he expects costs to increase by as much as 30% before the end of the year. NIE has not said how much of an increase it is seeking, however, electricity bills in the rest of the UK have risen by an average of 14% since the start of the year. It is thought that customers are likely to face an increase of around of 15% in the short term.