New choices for power plans that will save Victorians money has been announced by the state government this week through the introduction of flexible pricing plans.
Available from mid-September this year, the flexible pricing plans will give consumers new choices when looking for power plans that can save them money, said Nicholas Kotsiras, Energy and Resources Minister this week.
The introduction of these plans as a voluntary new option had been made possible by the rollout of smart meters and would open up new ways of pricing electricity that could save money for many consumers.
Mr Kotsiras said it was crucial that consumers have all the facts and tools they needed to make the right decisions about flexible pricing.
“Households that already use a lot of power outside peak times may be able to make immediate savings by switching to flexible pricing and there may be even bigger savings for those who have the ability to shift power outside of peak times,” Mr Kotsiras said.
“For example, by running your dishwasher, washing machine and clothes dryer at off-peak instead of at the current flat rate, you could save up to $160 a year.”
Moving to flexible pricing will be voluntary and no one will need to move off their current tariff unless they choose to do so. For those who do take up flexible pricing, the Coalition Government has ensured that customers can move back to their previous tariff with the same retailer without incurring an administrative fee, until March 2015.