Good-news power cuts on the way

By RICHARD BRADDELL

Mercury Energy says 60 per cent of its customers in the Vector network area will pay less for electricity after it implements fee changes required by the Government.

The changes, effective from April, have been helped by lines company Vector Energy's own reduction in its daily fixed charges, with more of the cost being recouped from variable charges that are measured against actual usage.

Mercury's daily fixed charge falls from 60c a day to 33.26c before GST and a 10 per cent prompt payment discount for customers on the standard use plan.

The move parallels one by Contact Energy for its Wellington customers.

Mercury's general manager, John Foote, said a low-use customer paying $40 a month would save $5.86 and an average-use customer's $80 bill would be $1.71 cheaper. But high-use customers paying $150 a month would pay an extra $2.97.