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Main Centres Catch up on National Electricity Savings

The regions featuring our biggest cities caught up in the power savings stakes in the past week with Wellington making the most significant gain to lead the regional savings effort with 5%.

In the second week of measuring regional savings, loosely based on rugby’s Super 12 areas, Wellington made the most significant gain saving 3% more than the previous week.

Christchurch and the upper South Island, up 2.8%, and Auckland and the Far North, up 2.1%, also made significant gains as the national weekly savings figure rose from 3.2% to 4.4%.

“The significant increases in those regions featuring our major cities is due to the business savings effort beginning to have its effect,” says Winter Power Taskforce co-ordinator,” Patrick Strange. “ In the past week or so we’ve seen large numbers of significant business operations announce internal power savings programmes or changes to work practices in an effort to conserve power.

“Both local and central government organisations have set challenging savings targets and that may be reflected in the Wellington figures.”

“It’s also encouraging to see Christchurch and the upper South Island making good progress despite a recent cold snap in the south.”

Conservation levels for the 24 hours ended yesterday (Tuesday 13 May) were 5.7%, holding to the levels achieved in the previous two days. Total electricity demand was 98.4 GWh, down from the 104.0 GWh used on average at the same time last year.

Mr Strange said he felt the savings effort was now building significant momentum but there was still some way to go until the Target 10% figure was within reach.

He said the move by most of the large electricity retail companies to offer incentives to their customers to save power would help to boost savings levels in coming weeks.

These incentives ranged from cash rebates to customers to donations to worthy causes.

“The full effect of these various initiatives probably won’t be seen until June but this will be important to maintain momentum throughout the winter.”

Region 6 May 13 May Gain
Dunedin & South 3.5% 4.9% +1.4%
Christchurch & North 2% 4.8% +2.8%
Wellington 2.0% 5.0% +3.0%
Central NI 3.5% 4.7% +1.2%
Auckland & North 1.9% 4.0% +2.1%
National Average 3.2% 4.4% +1.2%

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