28 July 2015

Electricity Authority urges Tasman households to shop around

Kiwis in the Tasman region are less likely to shop around for a better deal on their electricity, with the second lowest switching rate in the country. New figures from the Electricity Authority estimate last year only 14% of households (2,758) switched suppliers, and could have saved $2,830,618 or an average annual saving of $143.

Electricity Authority Chief Executive Carl Hansen is urging Tasman residents to exercise their choices and look out for the right deal. “Switching rates in Tasman are increasing, but they are still significantly lower than other regions. We’re encouraging residents to seize the opportunities available, and shop around.

"The New Zealand electricity market is very competitive. There is a wide range of deals and plans available to suit different families and lifestyles” he says.

“There are nine different retail brands to choose in the Tasman region, including one new provider which entered the market last year.”

“Its important consumers realise that their choice of retailer makes no difference to the reliability of their electricity supply – those outcomes are affected by the performance of their local distribution network and by Transpower, and is the same regardless of which retailer consumers choose.”

Across New Zealand we continue to see high switching rates. New figures from the Electricity Authority show that over 385,000 households switched electricity providers in 2014. If all eligible Kiwi households had switched to the cheapest electricity provider during the year they could have collectively saved $281 million or an average of $162 per household.

“As winter really starts to take a hold, now is the right time to check your plan,” says Hansen. “Even if you’ve switched providers in the past, we encourage all consumers to regularly check, as offers change. Heading to the What’s My Number website makes this easy.”

“Checking your deal doesn’t mean you have to change plans, and it doesn’t have to be about finding the cheapest provider. Sometimes it’s just a matter of knowing what alternative services are being offered and what other incentives might be right for you,” Hansen says.

Changing electricity suppliers is very straightforward. A recent Electricity Authority survey of consumers showed that 90% found it easy. Once you have identified the potential savings on What’s My Number you can simply click through to Consumer NZ’s Powerswitch website to compare your options and start the switching process. Alternatively, you can call the new provider who will manage the change for you.

What’s My Number is run by the Electricity Authority in partnership with Consumer NZ, and puts choice in consumers’ hands by helping them to shop around. To find out if you’re getting the best deal for your power, visit www.whatsmynumber.org.nz.

ENDS

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