LONDON, June 2 (Xinhua) -- More than two million British energy customers were warned that their bills will rise by 6.7 percent in the summer.
Householders with Britain's six big energy suppliers will have to pay an average of 76 pounds (101.18 U.S. dollars) a year more from July 11.
The rise will not affect customers who are on fixed price tariffs, use a prepayment meter, or are on special vulnerable customer tariffs.
Stephen Forbes, chief commercial officer of SSE, which represents the big suppliers, said, "We deeply regret having to raise prices and have worked hard to withstand the increasing costs that are largely outside our control by reducing our own internal costs."
"The cost of supplying energy is increasing and this ultimately impacts the prices we're able to offer customers," he said.
SSE will also be removing its six pounds (7.99 U.S. dollars) per fuel paperless billing discount.
The incoming hike is for customers who take gas and electricity from SSE. Gas prices are going up by an average of 5.7 percent and electricity by 7.7 percent.
