Question about electricity prices increasing.

[AwesomeFoursome]

Does anyone know if electricity prices increasing are just in NSW or is it in all the states?

[Mum2Romone]

I just got a bill for $600 YESTERDAY PLEASE DONT TELL ME THESE RORTERS are going to be taking more of our money?

[~Kim~]

Yep they already started going up....our was over $900 ...for less than our $600 bill same time last year.

[AwesomeFoursome]

Our last bill was $600 too. I think it's going up again around July. I just saw the end of it on the news one day. It meant to go up between $600 - %900 (a year I think). If its only nsw I'm moving to Queensland.

[AwesomeFoursome]

Kim. What state are you in?

[~clover~]

Its actually supposed to increase about $300 each quater. So about $1200 a year. & I'm pretty sure its Australia wide

[~Kim~]

Yowie, we're country NSW where it's gone up a bit more than average I think.....Trill knows more than me, hope she sees this.

[~Kim~]

Yowie, we're country NSW where it's gone up a bit more than average I think.....Trill knows more than me, hope she sees this.

[AwesomeFoursome]

I found this;

Electricity prices to rise by up to 64%

March 18, 2010

Electricity bills in NSW will soar by up to 64 per cent over the next three years, with the blame laid squarely on the federal government's proposed emissions trading scheme (ETS).

The state's Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) confirmed the increases in Sydney on Thursday.

They are even higher than those first proposed by the tribunal in December.

They will send average electricity bills rocketing by between $577 and $918 a year by 2013.

They come on top of already significant increases last July.

The federal government's ETS, twice rejected by the Senate, is behind a big chunk of the latest increases, IPART says.

Rising network costs have also contributed.

IPART confirmed Energy Australia bills will rise 60 per cent, adding $754 to a typical household customer's bill by 2013.

Integral Energy and Country Energy bills will rise 46 per cent and 64 per cent respectively in the same period, adding $577 and $918 to typical customers' bills.

But all the increases will be lower if the ETS is scrapped, IPART says.

Over the three years to June 2013, if the ETS is not introduced, average prices will increase by a cumulative total of 20 per cent for Integral Energy, 36 per cent for EnergyAustralia, and 42 per cent for Country Energy, IPART says.

But whatever happens, average prices will increase by seven per cent from July this year for Integral Energy customers, 10 per cent for EnergyAustralia customers, and 13 per cent for Country Energy customers.

The increases will apply to everyone on standard tariffs - said to be about 67 per cent of NSW household customers.

IPART acting chairman and chief executive Jim Cox said the agency did not welcome the increases.

"IPART recognises that these price increases are large and will be felt by customers, particularly low-income households," he said in a statement.

"Further, they follow large price increases in July 2009.

"We do not welcome these price increases or the adverse effects that they will have for many electricity customers."

Meanwhile, in a sombre warning, IPART on Thursday recommended the state government extend the NSW energy rebate to all Commonwealth card holders and should consider further increasing the level of the NSW energy rebate for vulnerable persons.

IPART is also recommending further information disclosure requirements to help customers compare electricity market offer.

Earlier this week, NSW Energy and Water Ombudsman Clare Petre warned consumers were anxious about the impending electricity price rises.

She said complaints about energy companies to her agency had risen significantly, by up to 30 per cent, in the financial year to date.

IPART acting chairman and chief executive Jim Cox said the agency did not welcome the increases.

"IPART recognises that these price increases are large and will be felt by customers, particularly low-income households," he said in a statement.

"Further, they follow large price increases in July 2009.

"We do not welcome these price increases or the adverse effects that they will have for many electricity customers."

Meanwhile, in a sombre warning, IPART on Thursday recommended the state government extend the NSW energy rebate to all Commonwealth card holders and should consider further increasing the level of the NSW energy rebate for vulnerable persons.

IPART is also recommending further information disclosure requirements to help customers compare electricity market offer.

Earlier this week, NSW Energy and Water Ombudsman Clare Petre warned consumers were anxious about the impending electricity price rises.

She said complaints about energy companies to her agency had risen significantly, by up to 30 per cent, in the financial year to date.

link to source: Electricity prices to rise by up to 64%

[~clover~]

I think its about time we all learnt to live the way our grandparents did without electricity! I'll be doing alot of stews over my fire this winter.

[~Serenity~]

Is that 6 months mine was just over $200 for 2 months

[misty]

Pretty sure it's going up everywhere. think it has to do with the ETS.

[AwesomeFoursome]

found this one about Queensland:

QCA release 2009/2010 electricity price rise
Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Stephen Robertson
09/06/2009
QCA release 2009/2010 electricity price rise

Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Stephen Robertson has today been advised by the independent Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) of their decision to increase electricity prices by 11.82% for the 2009/10 financial year.

Together with the QCA's remade decision on the 08/09 figure announced last week, the overall impact for consumers from 1 July 2009 will be an increase of 15.73%

"For consumers with an electricity bill of around $350 a quarter, they will pay an additional $55 on their bill, assuming the electricity used has remained the same," Mr Robertson said.

"This equates to an extra 60 cents per day.

"It brings me no joy what-so-ever to see these prices rise and I acknowledge these increases come at an unfortunate time for householders who may be facing financial hardship," Mr Robertson said.

"However these price rises reflect the true cost of delivering a reliable and robust energy network which is keeping up with increased demand.

"The QCA has found rising network costs which include transmission and distribution, and the increasing cost of energy generation, account for approximately 90 per cent of the total cost of supplying energy," Mr Robertson said.

Between 2010-2015, Queensland will have invested almost $9 billion on electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure to cope with increased demand.

"Despite the increasing cost of supplying electricity to consumers, Queenslanders continue to pay some of the lowest electricity prices in Australia.

"New South Wales announced price increases for 2009-10 of around 20%, Western Australia has increased prices by 15% with a further 10% from 1 July and the Northern Territory will have a price increase of around 18% next financial year," Mr Robertson said.

The new notified prices will come into effect for non-market contract consumers from 1 July 2009.

link to source: QCA release 2009/2010 electricity price rise

[AwesomeFoursome]

Our biggest problem is heating. We would freeze in winter without them. DD is already coughing at night because its getting chilly during the night.

[Jennifer13]

Actually, I think energy prices should go up from where they were. We're getting our energy still from predominantly coal-burning electricity plants and it's not realistic to expect that it will continue to stay the same price at the expense of the environment and our natural resources.

Having said that, when our last bill was absolutely astronomical, I went onto EnergyAustralia's website to try to figure out peak/off-peak/shoulder times, so that I could be more careful about managing our use and couldn't find the info anywhere! How can I make sure that I'm running things like the washing machine and dishwasher when it's cheaper if they don't provide the information? I sent them a note to let them know as well.

I managed to find something hidden somewhere that listed the times as 7am-2pm for shoulder, 2pm-10pm for peak and 10pm-7am for off-peak. This way we can make sure our hot water is scheduled for off-peak, we throw the washing on first thing in the morning and the dishwasher as we're going to bed.

We also took out all of the non-energy efficient light bulbs we had and I've started turning off appliances at the powerpoint (or turning them off altogether). I think if I put all of the things I possibly can into practice then I'll reduce my energy bill to closer to what it was anyway and I'm using less power.

I also joined one of their GreenPower schemes, so a certain %age of your electricity comes from renewable sources.

[~clover~]

Our biggest problem is heating. We would freeze in winter without them. DD is already coughing at night because its getting chilly during the night.

This is why we prefer a wood fire & are lucky enough to have one. Not often they come up in a rental.
My parents had 3 when we were kids, lol. (Sometimes 4!) One in the loungeroom, pot belly in the family room, pot belly in the shed & occasionally we would light up the combustion oven in the kitchen too. I loved it. (Not so great for the environment I spose... but nothing really is is it?)

I'm going to ask what the chances are of our landlord having solar hot water installed too, while the rebates are out there.

[~Kim~]

Funny you mention that Jenn. I have been using those times since someone mentioned it on here a couple of years ago...Jodi maybe?
BUT we have gas hot water and cooking, a very energy efficient house that is brand new so meets all the standards and we only use energy efficient bulbs...

[AnyDream]

Actually, I think energy prices should go up from where they were. We're getting our energy still from predominantly coal-burning electricity plants and it's not realistic to expect that it will continue to stay the same price at the expense of the environment and our natural resources.

I kind of agree, but the way to get people to use greener energy sources is *not* to charge a premium for the green energy...the fossil fuel industries have been propped up by govvie money for decades whilst still making astronomical profits, I find it offensive that the consumer is now expected to foot the bill for the 'new' greener infrastructures...because that's what's essentially happening here.

Also, apart from peak and offpeak (which only your hot water will be connected to) unless you have a smart meter, isn't the system is unable to determine when you are actually drawing from the grid?