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Electricity prices will rise, but not as much as some confused Powershop customers believed after they checked out the company’s new app.
Some disgruntled customers took to social media to vent their frustrations, with one person claiming this month’s estimate was double their last energy bill of $550.
“My current estimates are showing as nearly double last year,” one commenter said, “and so far it’s proving likely true.”
Another said their power bill for two people was about $131, and their recent estimate was more than $40 higher than that, while their previous bill had always been under $100.
One person questioned whether $699.29 was an accurate figure for one month’s worth of power in a three-bedroom home.
Lisa Hannifin, the chief customer officer of Powershop owner Meridian Energy, told the Herald a new Powershop app has been released and some of the new experiences in it might have created some confusion.
Some Powershop customers were surprised to see high estimates on their electricity bill. Photo / File
“Some Powershop customers are seeing higher estimates than they expected, and we understand why that’s concerning,” Hannifin said.
“We’re sorry for any distress it may have caused people.
“The important thing to know is customers haven’t been charged those amounts.
“What people are reacting to are forward-looking estimates, not an actual bill, and those estimates can be impacted by many factors.”
Hannifin explained the company’s underlying power prices had changed in line with what it told customers as part of price changes in April, with customers seeing a 7.9% increase on average, or $5.90 a week.
She also told the Herald more than 40% of that rise came from increased network charges, something she said the company could not control.
“We know the new app experience looks different and will take some getting used to.
“We’re continuing to improve how clearly this information is explained, with new updates coming every day.
“If customers are worried, we encourage them to get in touch with our team so we can walk them through what the estimate means for them, and help them with their options.”
