Do not get a shock from your next power bill

Don’t be shocked by your next power bill, see if you can switch and save. That’s the message this autumn from Consumer Affairs Minister, Judith Tizard.

As the nights begin to close in and the weather turns cooler, many of us will inevitably see our power bills begin to rise over the winter period.

“As winter looms it’s a great time to check out Powerswitch, the electricity cost-comparison website,” says Judith Tizard.

“Powerswitch is a website which compares the costs of electricity providers and tells you if you can save money on your power bill by switching plans or changing providers.

“Using Powerswitch is easy. All you need to do is complete a few simple steps on the website. Having your bill at hand will provide an accurate assessment, but if you don’t have a current bill, Powerswitch can estimate your usage.”

The Powerswitch website takes the information you put into an online form and estimates how much electricity you will use in a year. It then compares the different providers and pricing plans in your area and suggests the most suitable one for you.

“This information lets consumers decide whether to switch power companies, change plans, or stay with their current power company or plan,” says Judith Tizard.

“So don’t get a shock over the winter period, check out the Powerswitch website at www.powerswitch.org.nz  to see if you can save money.”

Background:

Powerswitch is an independent service provided by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Consumer NZ.
Consumers are encouraged to see if their local library has Internet access if they do not have access at home.
Powerswitch also includes other useful information on how to make the switch to a new power provider, how to make a complaint to the Electricity and Gas Complaints Commission, tips for energy saving in your home, pricing plans, information about customer contracts and contact details for power companies.