Analysis of Domestic Electricity Prices

The Ministry of Economic Development (MED) conducts a quarterly survey of movement in line and retail charges for the average domestic consumer (8,000 kWh per year).

Aurora summarises MED's comprehensive results for each quarterly survey, and displays them in graphical and tabular form below.  By clicking on the most recent survey date in the table, an excel spreadsheet will open and display the summary data ordered by electricity lines business.

 

 

Weighted Average
Line Charge(1)

Weighted Average
Energy Charge
(Incumbent (2) Retailers)  

Weighted
Energy Charge
(Independent Retailers)  
Date c / kWh % change(3) c / kWh % change(3) c / kWh % change(3)
15 Aug 2011 9.75 +45% 16.53 +141% 13.83 +102%
15 May 2011 9.75 +45% 16.44 +140% 13.69 +100%
15 Feb 2011 9.44 +40% 16.01 +133% 13.93 +103%
15 Nov 2010 9.44 +40% 15.92 +132% 13.87 +102%
15 Aug 2010 9.23 +38% 15.48 +126% 13.41 +95%
15 May 2010 9.23 +38% 15.08 +120% 13.34 +94%
15 Feb 2010 8.96 +33% 14.98 +118% 12.93 +88%
15 Nov 2009 8.93 +33% 14.82 +116% 13.01 +90%
15 Aug 2009 8.93 +33% 14.79 +116% 13.11 +91%
15 May 2009 8.93 +33% 14.69 +114% 13.36 +95%
15 Feb 2009 8.52 +27% 14.66 +114% 13.36 +95%
15 Nov 2008 8.52 +27%  14.45  +111%  13.15  +92% 
15 Aug 2008 8.52  +27% 14.03 +104% 12.42 +81%
15 May 2008 8.52 +27%  13.76 +101% 12.00 +75%
15 Feb 2008 7.91 +18%  13.69 +100% 12.44 +81%
15 Nov 2007 7.91  +18%  13.38 +95% 12.35 +80%
15 Aug 2007 7.89  +17% 13.31 +94% 11.81 +72%
15 May 2007 7.89  +17%  12.95 +89% 11.26 +64%
15 Feb 2007 7.57  +13%  12.80 +87% 11.44 +67%
15 Nov 2006 7.58 +13% 12.61 +84% 11.33 +65%
15 Aug 2006 7.58 +13% 12.32 +80% 10.98 +60%
15 May 2006 7.58 +13% 11.94 +74% 10.61 +55%
15 Feb 2006 7.14 +6% 11.94 +74% 10.97 +60%
15 Nov 2005 7.14 +6% 11.57 +69% 10.8 +57%
15 Aug 2005 7.16 +7% 11.37 +66% 10.54 +54%
15 May 2005 7.09 +6% 11.24 +64% 10.06 +47%
15 Feb 2005 6.88 +2% 11.21 +63% 10.05 +46%
15 Nov 2004 6.88 +2% 10.90 +59% 9.47 +38%
15 Aug 2004 6.88 +2% 10.14 +48% 9.00 +31%
15 May 2004 6.86 +2% 9.95 +45% 8.99 +31%
15 Feb 2004 6.63 -1% 9.70 +41% 8.51 +24%
15 Nov 2003 6.61 -2% 9.63 +40% 8.47 +23%
15 Aug 2003 6.73 0% 9.17 +34% 7.81 +14%
15 May 2003 6.73 0% 8.67 +26% 7.54 +10%
15 Feb 2003 6.68 -1% 8.51 +24% 7.33 +7%
15 Nov 2002 6.69 0% 8.41 +23% 7.32 +7%
15 Aug 2002 6.62 -1% 8.34 +22% 7.24 +6%
15 May 2002 6.60 -2% 7.86 +15% 6.79 -1%
15 Feb 2002 6.71 0% 7.67 +12% 6.62 -4%
15 Nov 2001 6.69 0% 7.39 +8% 6.59 -4%
15 Aug 2001 6.64 -1% 7.29 +6% 6.58 -4%
15 May 2001 6.64 -1% 7.25 +6% 6.38 -7%
15 Feb 2001 6.66 -1% 7.46 +9% 6.47 -6%
15 Nov 2000 6.66 -1% 7.46 +9% 6.47 -6%
15 Aug 2000 6.65 -1% 7.40 +8% 6.38 -7%
15 May 2000 6.67 -1% 7.44 +8% 6.19 -10%
1 April 1998 6.72   6.68   N/A  

(1) Line charge is the total charge by the separate transmission and distribution lines businesses to electricity retailers for electricity delivery. Retailers may bundle their costs into their retail prices as they please, but the MED analysis unbundles the real line charge to determine where change has occurred.

(2) The original retail franchise holders and their successors are called incumbencies. The incumbent retailer has a technical role and a practical advantage. The technical role is that their wholesale market purchases are determined by "differences". Their practical advantage (illustrated by the margin between the energy prices of incumbent and independent retailers) arises because they commenced with a natural geographic dominance, and consumers are reluctant to change retailers. This reluctance was still obvious in May 2002 analysis and is clearly apparent in price margins today.

(3) Compared to prices at 1 April 1998.