What advantage is there for TECT consumers belonging to Trustpower if our overall yearly power bills, despite our September cheque, are more or less the same as other electric companies?

If TECT customers' yearly power bills were seen to be significantly less than other electric companies then all residents in the TECT district would be Trustpower customers. This, at present, is clearly not so.

Therefore I would like to see our September cheque increased by at least $100 (or better yet, $200) as our net profit after tax in 2016 was $146 million and our net assets are $764 million, yet the total disbursement in 2016 (80/20) was only $36 million. (July 2016 Financial Report.)

We have a huge asset base ($764 million) which is a huge safety net if anything were to go wrong and $36 million disbursement from $146 million is paltry.

What was the motivation of the seven trustees of TECT to opt for a Historic Village ‘hub' rather than bigger pay-out cheques for the consumers? Were we consulted?

The ‘iconic' cycleway bridge to Omokoroa over the Wairoa River has blown out from $2.5 million to $7 million. There is no doubt the same will happen to the hub.

H Rhodes, Tauranga.


Artists impression of the TECT Community Hub.