NSW government launches free energy bill comparison scheme

It could soon be easier for Sydney families to compare and change their electricity plans after Premier Gladys Berejiklian declared there were “savings to be had” under a new state government scheme.

• Families make huge sacrifices to cut energy bills
• Energy customers need to switch retailers

NSW families could save hundreds of dollars on their electricity bills by taking advantage of a free government service which finds cheaper energy plans, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said today.

A pilot scheme run through Service NSW which helps consumers change plans will now be available to all households in NSW after a successful trial which saved an average of $550 per household.

Speaking at the Penrith Service NSW Centre today, Ms Berejiklian said one customer had saved more than $1600 on their electricity bill and she wanted to ensure as many people took up the offer as possible.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says NSW families could save hundreds of dollars with the free service. Picture: Dean Lewins

MORE NEWS:

Woman charged after 13kg of meth hidden in toys

Husar backtracks on decision to quit politics

Olympic funding cut as $14m spent on consultants

“We are first government in Australia to have this service,” she said.

“This is different because nobody gets a commission and it’s a free service — you don’t get charged for switching deals.

“Nobody makes money out of this. This is a service we are providing to all our citizens across the state.”

Customers either visit one of the Service NSW centres with a recent electricity bill or fill out an online form and the program will give the customer the three cheapest electricity plans available.

“The savings are to be had,” Ms Berejiklian said. “We want everybody to use this service. Spending one or two minutes today could save you hundreds and hundreds of dollars and in some cases over 1000 dollars.”

She acknowledged that families used airconditioning over summer months and “that was a stress for people”.

A parliamentary report published late last week found retail electricity prices have risen 52 per cent in the past ten years in NSW and that profit margins for retailers was “excessive”.

“The committee heard that some people are literally sitting in the dark because they can’t afford their electricity bills,” chairman Paul Green, an Upper House MP, said. “It is also concerning that the ACCC found that electricity retail profit margins are very high in NSW compared to other jurisdictions.”

Pejman Farzaneh from Baulkham Hills will save more than $1000 a year on his energy bill. Picture: Clarissa Bye

He said certain retailers may have “leveraged the complexity of the electricity market” to charge higher fees to “disengaged customers”.

The Electricity Supply, Demand and Price in NSW inquiry recommended the government pass laws to “oversight the level of profit” made by the big companies.

Baulkham Hills resident Pejman Farzaneh said his September bill from Energy Australia was $2704 for just one quarter, but after using the service he will save $1300 a year.

The father of one said he doesn’t have a pool, but does have airconditioning in a four-bedroom house and wasn’t sure why his bill was so high.

“I’m very pleased I’ve been save this much money,” he said. “It’s worth it.”

Research carried out by Service NSW found 70 per cent of NSW households pay too much for electricity, especially people who had not changed providers for the past year.

Energy Switch can be accessed in-person across all Service NSW customer centres and online through https://energyswitch.service.nsw.gov.au.