'People in Tauranga will no doubt be looking forward to receiving their Tect cheque in the next few months but is it really the benefit that most people believe?
I reviewed Trustpower's charges after receiving my cheque last year. I compared with four other power companies.
All charged very different amounts for daily charge, 24hr and controlled and had different prompt payment discounts.
I took the charge rates and applied them to my latest bill at the time. I wasn't entirely surprised at what I found as I had suspected all along that the Tect cheque was too good to be true.
Sure enough all four competitor power companies were around 20% cheaper than Trustpower.
What's more they all amounted to within $5 of each other. For us it amounted to a saving of $1200+ per year. I have just checked again and although Trustpower have slightly improved they are still 16% more expensive than anyone else.
Just to make sure I contacted Trustpower again and asked their prices to a Hamilton property.
Their prices were 12% cheaper than I was quoted for Tauranga. Trustpower appear to be taking advantage of the TECT situation safe in the knowledge that very few people will change provider due to the TECT cheque. Hardly what was intended when TECT was setup.”

Duncan Evans, Papamoa.

TrustPower responds:
TrustPower community relations manager Graeme Purches told The Weekend Sun he could not comment extensively on Duncan's individual issue.
'The Electricity Authority Survey doesn't support that [Duncan's claims]. People get the TECT cheque and a lot of people don't take that into account. 'The stupidity with all this is at any one point in time there's someone who is most expensive and someone who is the cheapest.”
He admits it may be the case with Duncan's high power prices, but it is wrong to create generalisations based on one person's accusations.