15 May 2007

Are you paying too much for your power?

With winter fast approaching we’ll start to see our power bills creeping up, so now is a good time to check out Powerswitch, says Consumer Affairs Minister Judith Tizard.

Powerswitch is a free internet based electricity cost-comparison service for consumers.

“Using Powerswitch is easy. To find out if you could save money with another electricity supplier, or by being on a different plan, all you need to do is complete a few simple steps on the website.”

Although you do not need a current power bill to use it, Powerswitch can provide personalised information for your household if you have your current bill handy.

“By using research into the different ways people use electricity, Powerswitch takes the information you put into an online form, including details about your electricity use and details from your latest power bill, and estimates how much electricity you will use in a year. It then compares the different pricing plans and suggests the most suitable one for you.”

With this information consumers can then make an informed choice about whether they switch power companies, change plans, or stay with their current power company or plan.

“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.

“I encourage all consumers to check out Powerswitch.”

If you don’t have internet access at home, your local library may have internet access available for you to use.

Powerswitch is an independent service provided by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Consumers’ Institute.