Everyday business costs and price changes to wholesale energy also contributed to the price change, Mr Gordon said.
Nearly 40 per cent of Hawke's Bay power consumers were supplied by the Unison lines company and were registered with Contact Energy, in the 12 months to November 15. These customers experienced an $85 average increase in their power bills.
Nova Energy customers supplied by Unison experienced no change in prices.
Powershop chief executive Ari Sargent said where energy companies' prices had increased, this was mainly due to higher transmission prices and more expensive retail costs.
He expected power prices to edge higher next year as costs associated with the national power grid update filtered through to consumers.
"On average, I think most people would expect to see relatively flat prices, maybe a slight increase," Mr Sargent said.
"They shouldn't be expecting a large increase in most cases."
Households in the King Country were least affected by power hikes - average bills rose $28 in the past year.
Far North residents were slammed with the largest increases, with average power prices jumping $306.
In November 29,246 customers switched power companies in New Zealand, according to the Electricity Authority. About 700 of these were from Hawke's Bay.
Mr Sargent said "timing" played a large role in price changes.
Power companies decided for themselves when to pass increases in lines charges on to their customers, he said.
"About 90 per cent of what a customer pays is fixed either through ... the wholesale energy costs or transmission and distribution charges."
Customer servicing costs, the profit margin set by power companies and GST made up the rest, Mr Sergeant said.
- APNZ