Contact Energy plays leading role to combat energy hardship

29 April 2019

After 18 months of funding and trials, Contact Energy is pleased to help launch EnergyMate – a collaborative industry pilot to combat energy hardship.

The pilot will be rolled out to 150 families in South Auckland, Rotorua and Porirua initially.

“EnergyMate fits perfectly with our goal to provide customers with more choice, control and certainty over their energy use and bills,” Chief Executive Dennis Barnes says.

“This is about providing practical hands-on support to vulnerable customers who need help to manage their energy usage and bills.”

Under the programme, experienced financial mentors will visit a home to offer a range of services, which may include:

• ensuring families are on the right energy plan
• helping them access funding, e.g. insulation grants, curtain banks, or other social services
• improving energy literacy
• testing of appliances and water heating and
• providing LED lighting and temperature/humidity sensors

“We know that energy hardship is part of a more complex problem that requires a social policy response, but we also know we can do our part to help address those families most in need which is why we have supported the development of EnergyMate,” Mr Barnes says.

As well as playing a leading role in EnergyMate, Contact Energy has introduced a number of products such as PrePay and weekly/fortnightly billing and 'free-bill', and our no-frills 'basic plan' to give customers more choice and control.

The EnergyMate programme sits alongside Contact Energy’s already established partnership with HomeFit, a simple online assessment and certification programme for the ventilation, insulation, heating and energy efficiency of a home

ENDS

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