THE salary and benefits package paid to Northern Ireland Electricity's chief executive, Dr Patrick Haren, more than doubled last year to £393,000, according to NIE's annual report. The growth in his remuneration package is due, for the most part, to an increase of almost £194,000 in pension contributions. Dr Haren, who previously worked for the ESB and is a former chairman of ESB International, earned a basic salary of £145,000, benefits in kind of £6,000 and performance payments of £29,000.

The total remuneration of NIE's three other executive directors increased from £355,000 to £439,000. The pay package of the company's six non executive directors fell from £108,000 to £95,000.