Latest news with #ConsumerMobilityRoadmap
Scoop
25-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Making It Easy To Get The Best Deal For Your Power
The Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko (the Authority) will be making it easier for consumers to get the best deal for their power. The Authority has published a 'Consumer Mobility Roadmap' of upcoming proposed changes to simplify information and improve access to products and services to benefit consumers. The proposals signalled in the Consumer Mobility Roadmap will: make it easier for consumers to understand their power bills make it easier to compare power plans and providers, find better deals and switch increase choice and competition support innovators to bring new products and services to market enable a digital system to be built to serve people reshape the power system for a more decentralised and people-centric future. "This is not about consumers doing more - it's about creating a system that serves consumers better," Authority General Manager Retail and Consumer Andrew Millar says. "The changes we're proposing will build on our work to support a more competitive electricity market through the Energy Competition Task Force." Over the coming year the Authority will be engaging with the sector on the proposals, all designed to give consumers access to better information and more choice. "These changes include a new comparison and switching website and proposals to improve access to consumption data, set standards for power bills, and enable consumers to have more than one power retailer," Millar says. Currently, information on power bills varies across retailers and information on power use and power products is hard to access and inconsistent. "Our research indicates that 38% of consumers haven't changed providers in over five years and one in three lack confidence in understanding their power bill," Millar says. "We need to address the barriers for consumers, including confusing pricing structures that make it difficult for people to compare offers and understand whether they are getting the best deal. We also need to unlock access to data as this is crucial for innovation and competition." "We'll be inviting market participants to contribute their insights and perspectives to our policy work," says Millar. "We are committed to updating the electricity market rules to ensure New Zealanders get the choice and value they deserve."
Scoop
14-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Better Data To Unlock Better Deals For Consumers
The Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko has published a proposal to make better data available to unlock better power deals for consumers. The proposal - Enabling consumer mobility by improving access to electricity product data - seeks feedback on options to improve access to product data and make it easier for consumers to choose the right power plan, switch between power companies, and save money. General Manager Retail and Consumer Andrew Millar says the Electricity Authority is working with the sector to change the current settings as they are no longer adequate and are stopping consumers from getting the choice and value they deserve. "The lack of standardised data and access rules in the electricity sector is a major barrier to helping consumers get the best possible plan. "Better data will unlock better deals. With clear formats and rules for how data is shared, trusted third party providers will be able to do the hard work for consumers while ensuring everyone benefits. This will open up real choice and value to everyone - no matter how much time or digital know-how they have," Millar says. The proposal also contributes to the electricity sector's readiness to implement the Government's intended Consumer Data Right (CDR) for electricity. "AI-enabled services, improved data sharing, and a potential future CDR will ensure consumers and their agents have the information and data they need to make better decisions," says Millar. The Authority will shortly publish a Consumer Mobility Roadmap to provide actions and timeframes for other key initiatives - including proposed changes to consumption data standards and electricity bill information - that will work together to give consumers what they need to manage their energy well. We welcome your feedback on our proposal by 5pm, Tuesday 12 August 2025. We anticipate publishing final decisions on this proposal by the end of this year.
