Electricity Prices

If you start talking to people about their electricity costs, the first question that really comes to mind is how much the electricity costs. As a former employee of the state electricity generator Pacific Power, I have a fairly good idea on how the whole industry works. But I needed hard numbers, so I decided that visiting the web site for one to the retailers might be a good idea. Getting the numbers should be fairly easy. I have been working in this industry for the best part of the last 20 years. I know what I need.

When I went to their web site, and said that I wanted to know about moving my business to them, they gave me all sorts of great information

3% guaranteed discount (4% in SA)

a further 3% discount if you pay your bills by the due date

3 year benefit term

flexibility to move between addresses

choice of payment options

choice of green energy options

Exit Fees

But nowhere on the page could I find a link to the actual prices that someone would pay. If you want to know how much they are going to charge you, you need to know exactly where to look. It is rather simple then.

At the very bottom of the page, where they include the information you really don’t need like the privacy policy, click on ‘conditions and pricing

Then find the box labeled ‘Energy Price Fact Sheets’ and choose ‘Residential Customers’ or ‘Small Business Customers’ as appropriate

Once again tell them if you are Residential or Small Business, your postcode and if you want prices for electricity or gas or both

Then choose which pricing plan you think you are on and download the PDF containing the prices

What could be simpler?