A Word of Advice

15 November 2001

Comparing Power Prices Made Easier with Consumer PowerSwitch

Could you be getting more power for your money? Have you compared power company prices or different plans under your current power company to find out?
The answer is probably, 'It's too much of a hassle'. Well, a free service provided by the Consumers' Institute and Citizens Advice Bureaux with funding from the government has taken some of the hassle out of comparing domestic electricity prices and can help you find out if you could be getting a better deal.

Consumer PowerSwitch has been around for awhile, but it has some new features and you can now access the information even if you don't have access to the Internet by calling or visiting your local Citizens Advice Bureau (phone 0800 367 222).

It's free, it's fast, it's impartial, and it's easy compared with having to call electricity companies yourself to find out about prices and plans. All you need is a copy of your electricity bill. Consumer PowerSwitch will ask you for your location, the size of your household, and other details of your electricity use. It will then help you identify which deals might be best for you and your household.

With the recent reminder of winter woes, it's the perfect time to take stock of what happened this year and see if you could be making savings now. You can also use Consumer PowerSwitch to monitor prices over the summer and then, by autumn when power use increases with the corresponding drop in temperature, you'll know if there are savings to be made.

And Consumer PowerSwitch has other useful information for visitors to the website including information on contracts, energy conservation, answers to frequently asked questions about power issues and the forthcoming Electricity Complaints Commission.

Visit the service at www.powerswitch.org.nz or call your local Citizens Advice Bureau free on 0800 367 222 to access the Consumer PowerSwitch cost comparison information.