Are we paying too much for electricity?

3/03/2013 12:39:30 p.m.

Jim Seaview wrote:

It would be great if we could all pay the same power rates as what The NZ Aluminium Smelter in Invercargill receives - owned by Rio tinto Australia and is on the world market for sale along with 15 other Aluminium smelters. That would be the dream result for all Domestic and other consumers. Some of us could afford to retire. Since Max Bradfords privatisation - all these Power supply companies now have to have CEO's, Marketing Managers, Publicity Managers to try and get more domestic customers in a market where the number of domstic customers is static at the best. I mean if Company A steals 10 customers off Company B then Company B has to put up its prices to maintain their payout to their shareholders??? These same robbing power supply companies you now see them on TV sponsoring Super 12 Rugby teams and other sports teams and events - and guess who pays for all their glorious (look how wonderful I am) sponsorship - YES you can guess - The hard working, overtaxed, overRated, diligent, struggling taxpayer but WAIT - It gets better because electricity is definitely an essential service it affects everyone and also has to be paid by the unemployed, the retired, the lazy, the poor and the homeless. WOW we should all own a power company. Why does an essential product like electricity where most of it is generated on Power Stations built by our Fathers & Grandfathers have to have so many unnecessary high salaried bludgers and sponsorships attached to the power supply network? Bring back the NZED and keep politicians at arms length. If there was a Power Supply Company called "RIP U OFF POWER COMPANY" I would gladly give them my business just to be show them that I appreciate that I am dealing with an honest, straightforward company.

28/02/2013 8:18:54 p.m.

Richard wrote:

And Labour was somehow better when in power? Short memories folks. They even screwed those who got off their bums to pay for the dregs, oops, sorry, their voter base.

28/02/2013 11:40:05 a.m.

Nina Abbott wrote:

2hrs after seeing a piece on Breakfast about this I opened yet another price increase from Contact. The 6th in 24mths. In 3yrs my daily user charge has gone from 85.66 to 109.20. I've written to them 4 times and each time they literally cut and paste the same response into an email. They need to make a fair return for their investors...$88mil not enough. Their prices have gone up so they have to pass them on...rubbish wholesale prices are down. Demand in NZ is increasing...demand in Europe with its huge population is surely much higher and yet we pay in some cases 5 times what they pay. Its all just excuses to justify greed. We really need the media to keep the pressure on with this because we know the Government won't step in. I was born in Germany but have lived here since I was 11. I love this country but I'm so sick of hearing the same old thing from visitors from Europe about how expensive it is. We pay an absolute premium for absolutely everything. I'm going to Germany for an extended stay in July, might not bother coming back.

28/02/2013 9:37:10 a.m.

Mark wrote:

If the Electricity Authority isn't able to regulate the industry, why do they bother to investigate? I'm sure by all the complaints of the past they are fully aware of the situation, now it starts getting wider attention they stop sitting on their hands and conduct a talk fest.....

27/02/2013 10:47:40 p.m.

Leanne wrote:

I just received a letter in the mail from Contact Energy, two months after I joined up with them. They are putting up prices, surprise surprise. It should be illegal to put up cost when I have just joined them. If I want to put up my tenant's rent, I can only increase it when they have been in my property for 6 months. Power companies whield too much power, excuse the pun!

27/02/2013 5:57:04 p.m.

katubaldy wrote:

Ken and 'Sick of This Govt' are right folks. Its time to vote come 2014. National have been busy dismantling the way of life kiwis are used to over the last four years and if you want to get back to some form of reasonable quality of living, you have to get out to vote next year...Or all this outrage will have been for nought and the govt will continue to pound the working class, beneficiaries and the poor whenever they can. Sections of the right wing think its amusing, (Act for eg) to see the struggles less well off people are going through...Get out to vote 2014, its way past time this crew were gone.

27/02/2013 5:37:18 p.m.

Noeleen wrote:

Yesterday I got a letter dated 21st February 2013 from Contact Energy telling me my power was increasing from 111.3 cents/day to 120.3 cents/day. Up 9 cents/day. A quote from my letter says " We have changed our prices to ensure we continue to sustain and grow our business." Yea, right. Who gets the benefits? Not me!!!

27/02/2013 4:57:31 p.m.

phil cole wrote:

hay john , my unit price has gone from 8c/unit to 24c/unit in 9 years ,i have recipts to prove this....sheer greed by SOEs

27/02/2013 4:44:28 p.m.

Paul wrote:

Especially the line charges. Look at the new rate Vector is charging from 1 April. 88.89 cents up from 16.67cents. How can an over 500% increase be justified?

27/02/2013 4:23:59 p.m.

Sick of this Government wrote:

So what are we consumers going to do about it?. I lived in Oz for 7 years and on my return to NZ was absolutely gobsmacked with my first power bill, nearly 3 times more than what I paid in Sydney, ie the Oz bills come every 3 months not every month and I am now paying what I paid for three months there, in one month here plus more. total rip off is right.