Power firm customers' details lost

Old billing details, names and addresses are included on the record of payment demands produced on August 10 last year, NIE Energy said.

It did not contain any banking details, but the Northern Ireland-based electricity company has written to customers.

The latest loss follows a string of similar lapses involving child benefit claimants and car drivers, among others.

NIE Energy managing director Stephen McCully said: "We fully appreciate that our customers will be concerned that any personal information regarding them is missing.

"However, while we have not been able to locate this tape, there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that it has fallen into the wrong hands."

The information commissioner's office has been alerted following the loss by contractors for NIE Energy who are in charge of bill processing.

The tape did not contain any bank, debit card or any other similar information that would be classified as sensitive under the Data Protection Act.

It held details such as account name and address, customer number, bill amount, previous payment and account balance from bills dated August 10, 2009.

The company said the data cannot be read by a standard computer.