Unison announces 10% price decrease for electricity distribution charges

Electricity distributor, Unison Networks, today announced a decrease of 10% in its network line charges, across Hawke’s Bay, Rotorua and Taupo to take effect from 1 April 2020.

Group Chief Executive, Ken Sutherland, said the company’s charges reflected its ongoing commitment to providing a resilient and reliable network at the best cost to all consumers.

Overall, prices will reduce by an average of 10% across all customers for the network part of a consumer’s bill, which includes the Transpower (transmission) part of Unison’s charges.*

A Hawke’s Bay customer that uses 8,000 kWh with controlled hot water heating will see a reduction of $135 per year, or around $11 per month.

A customer in Taupo or Rotorua that uses 8,000 kWh with controlled hot water heating will see a reduction of $124 per year, or around $10 per month. 

Every five years the Commerce Commission resets the revenues that electricity distributors are allowed to earn for the next five years. The Commerce Commission last reset prices in 2015 and since then interest rates have fallen substantially. Unison is pleased to pass this reduction in interest on to consumers.

Unison understands that electricity retailers will be passing the price decrease on to customers.

Mr Sutherland said the energy sector has a role in making sure electricity is reasonably priced, generated in a way that is both environmentally and financially sustainable, and readily available.

“Getting the balance right affects everyone from the government, the power generator, power retailers, electricity distributors, right through to end users – consumers,” he said.

Unison encourages customers to shop around for the best deals offered by electricity retailers and there are several online resources available to consumers to help compare retail electricity plans such as powerswitch.org.nz and whatsmynumber.org.nz.

-Ends-