Regional power prices
What is the average electricity bill in your region and how does yours compare?
- Prices
- Consumer
- Competition
- Retail
Average power use and costs
This interactive map shows the average monthly household electricity use, charges and bills for each region across New Zealand, and how these have changed over time.
Use this dashboard to:
- Compare your electricity use and costs with the average for your region – see if there is an opportunity to reduce your bill
- Check your fixed and variable charges against the average for your region – find out if you could get a better deal at www.Billy.govt.nz
- Explore monthly and annual trends for charges and electricity use – see what is driving changes over time.
Electricity prices vary between regions because of several reasons:
- generation costs – where and how electricity is produced (see Geography, locational pricing and price separation)
- lines charges – set by local lines companies (about lines charges)
- retail pricing – set by electricity retailers.
Electricity prices also vary according to whether you’re on a low user or standard user plan.
How much electricity you use varies because of different household factors, heating sources, fuel options, local climate and time of year.
Your power use and costs
Find out about how to use less power without impacting your comfort, how to get the best deal for your power, and your rights as an electricity customer.
Compare and switch to save $$
You could be paying more than you need to. A quick check can make a real difference.
Did you know you can call your retailer and ask if you’re on the cheapest plan for your electricity use? Or compare options on our free price comparison website www.Billy.govt.nz
See what you could save, find the right plan for your needs, and switch in just a few minutes.
Ways to save energy
By making some small changes to your home and appliances, you can save electricity and reduce your power bills.
Finding it hard to pay your bill?
It can be hard to pay your bills from time to time. Here are some things you can do if you are finding it hard to pay your bill.
Understanding the dashboard
What is a fixed charge?
A charge is the price you pay for your power. A fixed charge - sometimes called a daily charge - covers the basic costs of maintaining your connection. This is the cost you pay for having access to power and is not based on consumption.
Under the Low Fixed Charge regulations retailers must offer low user plans, which have maximum fixed charges. Low users tend to have a lower fixed charge and a higher variable charge than standard users. These regulations are currently being phased out, which means the maximum low fixed charge will increase annually from April 2022 to April 2027 when the regulations will be removed.
What is a variable charge?
A variable charge is the cost you pay per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity you use. There are three types of variable charge:
- Anytime/24-hour rate – applies at all times of the day and night.
- Off-peak (night) rate – applies during off-peak hours, usually overnight.
- Controlled rate – applies to electricity supplied to controlled appliances, such as hot water cylinders, where supply can be managed by the local network company.
What is a kWh?
This is short for kilowatt-hour, which is the standard unit of power consumption. This is a measure of energy over time and comprises 1,000 watts of power consumed over one hour. For example, running a 1,000-watt heater for an hour will consume one unit of electricity or one kWh.
Power companies usually set the price for electricity in cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
What are lines charges?
Lines charges cover electricity transmission and distribution costs, and pay for the infrastructure (wires and poles) that connects your home to the local power network. These are charged by distributors to retailers, who can then choose how and how much of these charges they pass on to their customers, and are not usually itemised on customer bills.
What’s included in ‘other costs’?
Other costs included in power bills (and price increases) are: generation, retail, GST, metering, market governance and market services. You can learn more about these costs.
When is the dashboard updated?
We update the dashboard every month after retailers submit their data and we have checked it is complete and accurate.
Retailers submit data at the end of the following month. For example:
- March data is due at the end of April
- April data is due at the end of May.
This means the most recent calendar month won’t appear in the dashboard straight away. Also, in some cases, a retailer’s data may take an extra month to be complete. We’re working with retailers to understand if this can be improved or whether it reflects how their billing systems operate.
There's power in checking
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