Low Submission Results for Government’s Electricity Industry Review

Only 108 survey submissions on New Zealand’s electricity industry were recently received by the Government.

The low number of responses indicates one of two extremes: either Kiwis are confident with their country’s electricity pricing system, or the lack of industry understanding led to a low number of surveys being completed.

Graeme Peters, Chief Executive of the Electricity Networks Association, read each submission received. Although he notes that several improvements could be implemented, he is hopeful that the low number of responses means that consumers view the industry favorably.

Jessica Wilson, head of Consumer Research, believes differently. She thinks that the low level of responses shows that the issues are complicated for the average electricity consumer.

She stated that the lack of responses does not show that consumers are content with their power bills or with how the pricing is calculated.

The Demographics of Survey Respondents

The majority of the 108 submissions were by industry participants or large companies.

Private submitter's may have found the enormity of the survey along with its format difficult to navigate – thus giving up on the survey before truly even beginning.

Other Recent Surveys Showed Kiwis’ Concern with Electricity Pricing

Other surveys recently conducted did show that Kiwis are concerned with their power bills.

The annual cost of living survey showed that almost 70 percent of consumers were concerned with their electricity costs. Plus, almost 20 percent of Kiwis reported recent financial difficulty paying for their power.

Survey results also showed that the majority of Kiwis were trying to reduce their energy costs.

Final Report Due in Coming Months

The review on the country’s electricity industry is being completed by a panel under the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

The final report is expected in May 2019.

You don’t need to wait until the Electricity Industry Review is over to potentially save on your energy costs! Use Switchme’s free, online energy comparison today to see if you could be saving on your monthly energy bill.

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