New deal for cheaper power signed

The Employers & Manufacturers Association (Northern) and Energy Options Ltd announced today they have signed a deal to deliver cheaper electricity to association member companies.

The agreement results from the new opportunities presented by the arrival of the competitive electricity market and the group buying power represented by EMA’s 5000 member businesses.

EMA’s chief executive Alasdair Thompson said the amount firms can expect to save is typically about 20 per cent of their present power costs, though when network and transmission costs are included, the saving is about 10 per cent.

“The savings available differ depending on a firm’s present supply arrangements, where it is located, and the electricity company they are with at present,” Mr Thompson said.

“Smaller firms on the North Shore, West Auckland, Coromandel/Thames, Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupo and Waipa can all expect to save around 10 per cent of their total power bill. Businesses in Central and South Auckland can expect to save about 12 per cent.

“An Auckland company using around $1400 of power a month can expect to save over $2000 a year.

“Regrettably there are some areas where we cannot make an offer leading to power savings at this time.

“The agreement is pitched mainly at small to medium size businesses. A separate arrangement for larger businesses, those using more than about $25,000 of electricity a year, is proposed. On their behalf, EMA Northern and Energy Options plan to tender for long term power contracts.”

Energy Options chief executive Donald Cheesman said the deal represented an exciting new era for the competitive supply of electricity retailing.

“Our goal is bring competitive electricity pricing to those customers who have not yet seen the benefits of the recent electricity industry reforms, and to ensure they find switching to a new supplier is easy and risk free.”

“Many users do not appreciate one of the impacts of the reforms is that the reliability of supply will not be affected if they switch retailers. The decision on which supplier to employ comes down to price and service.

“Energy Options is a new electricity retail company with supply contracts from network companies and wholesale energy suppliers that let us deliver better pricing. We are committed to making switching easy, and guarantee if customers are not paying less after signing with us we will tear up their contract.”

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