Ruapehu District Council has welcomed the findings of the Electricity Price Review (EPR).

Mayor Cameron said that Council feels that the recommendations are realistic and workable given the current structure and complexity of the sector.

“They are a step in the right direction for addressing some of the issues facing Ruapehu,” said Mayor Cameron.

“It was pleasing to note the impact that TLC customer stories of energy hardship had on the advisory panel from the April meeting in Te Kuiti.

“To quote directly from the EPR "Their plight (and possibly unique set of problems) acted as powerful motivation to come up with practical ways to tackle this most pressing problem.

It is especially rewarding to see that the EPR recommendations reflect many of the suggestions put forward at that meeting.

Given the complexity of the issues the Advisory Panel had an extremely difficult task and they need to be commended on their work.”

Mayor Cameron added that fixing energy hardship isn't just about the price of electricity or lines charges.

The EPR recognises that low incomes, cold, uninsulated houses, social problems, Ruapehu’s geography, sparse population, etc. all contribute to the picture.

I envisage that Council's work on developing a Liveability Study will play a useful role in helping to target support to those who need it most,” he said.

As the EPR states however "there is no magic bullet".

These recommendations should nevertheless start to make a material difference to people currently finding energy costs unaffordable,” he said.

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