Canterbury tops the power list

Canterbury has the highest average electricity consumption nationally, the Electricity Authority says.

New data from the authority – an independent electricity market regulator – shows Canterbury is chewing through more power than the rest of the country.

Electricity Authority chief executive Carl Hansen said Canterbury had 20 per cent more electricity consumption on average than the rest of the country.

A competitive local retailer market meant savings could be made, with four new brands launched last year alone. Households could be saving about $150, Hansen said.

‘‘Local consumers now have up to 14 electricity providers to choose from.’’

The authority estimated over half of Canterbury households had switched electricity providers in the past five years. About 40,000 households switched providers and may have saved $34,778.

‘‘With such high electricity usage in Canterbury, it’s important that consumers ensure that they’re on the best deal for their household,’’ Hansen said.

A Meridian Energy spokeswoman said power usage was up from July 2014.

Residential customers in Christchurch used on average 6.6 per cent more during June 2015, compared to June 2014. May power consumption was down 3.5 per cent from last year, she said.

Network companies MainPower and Orion said there was little change in power consumption from previous years.

MainPower, which covers North Canterbury and Kaikoura, said consumption had only ‘‘marginally increased’’ in the past four years. ‘‘If you take into account the high growth trend in residential development that we have experienced in North Canterbury and Kaikoura, with new connections up some 50 per cent on 2012, it is likely that we are actually trending down,’’ MainPower engineering manager Peter Hurford said.

Orion, which covers the area between the Rakaia and Waimakariri rivers, said use on the network was slightly up.