The letter from the three former trustees was in response to the current trustees wanting to wind down the TECT cheques, starting with a compensatory $2500 cheque later this year plus five more annual cheques of $360 each.
Current trustees chaired by lawyer Bill Holland have proposed turning TECT into a charitable trust with the annual returns from its Trustpower shareholding and other investments being wholly distributed to community organisations.
It was currently 20 per cent of the trust's income.
The proposal was currently out for public consultation and if the trustees agreed to continue with the scheme it would end up being decided by a referendum of all eligible Trustpower customers.
However the letter from the former trustees said the obligation of trustees was to act in the best interests of consumers.
''Comments in the information pack and publicly reported comments of trustees indicate a strong desire to promote the interests of the community. This may be laudable but it is not a valid consideration.
"Nowhere have you indicated the grounds upon which you consider this proposal to be in the best interests of consumers, or that you have considered any alternative proposals that might be in the best interests of consumers,'' they said.
The former trustees said Mr Holland's reported statement that it was his idea to ''move the trust towards 100 per cent focus on charitable contributions'' provided evidence of a closed mind to any alternatives.
Their letter also stated the current trustees had provided no valid reason why they had formed the view that doing nothing was no longer an option for TECT.
''TECT has shown a capacity to adapt to meet changed circumstances when necessary. There is no reason why this should not be so in the future.''
The letter noted how the amended charitable trust deed retained the definition of consumer in the same form as at present.
The former trustees also disputed statements used to justify the change, including ownership risks and disruptive technologies impacting on Trustpower and the electricity industry.
''Trustpower has proved in the past well capable of meeting such challenges and using them to its advantage.
''All this however is not relevant to your proposal which is that consumers give up their entitlement to future distributions and agreed to the transferring or distributing the bulk of TECT's assets to TECT Charitable Trust.
" Indeed, you say that TECT has no plans to sell its Trustpower holdings. We regret we are left with the impression that the waters have been deliberately muddied by your statements,'' the letter said.
The former trustees said TECT Charitable Trust formed in 2002 was to obtain tax efficiencies in respect of TECT distributions to consumer charitable organisations.
TECT consumers were advised at the time that the charitable trust was not intended to be a vehicle for increased distribution to charitable organisations.
Mr Cronin told the Bay of Plenty Times today that the signatories to the letter were happy with the status quo to remain.
He today also challenged the trust to release its legal opinion that supported their proposal. It had previously not be released on the grounds it was privileged, he said.
Michael Cooney was a former chairman of TECT who also served on the board of Trustpower. He was a trustee for 16 years from 1998 to 2014 when he retired.
Bruce Cronin was a former deputy chairman who served as a trustee for 20 years, deciding not to seek re-election in 2016.
Mr Collings served at least eight years on the trust.
TECT chairman Bill Holland could not be contacted this morning for comment.