Power and saving

Generators make electricity from primary energy sources like water, wind, sun, geothermal energy, coal and gas, then its sent over transmission and distribution networks to your house.

Every time you pay your power bill, you're paying for the electricity you use and our line charge for getting it to you.

Pay less for what you use

There are about 20 'Energy retailers' on the Top Energy power network, so its worth shopping around to find the best deals for your energy needs.

You can find out more about how your prices are calculated on the Electricity Authority website.

To compare energy retailers to see if you're getting the best deal, you can do an online assessment on Powerswitch.

You can compare plans and prices with the Powerswitch free online comparison tool to find out how much you could save.

Use less energy

Small changes around the home can reduce your power usage. Some easy changes are:

• Use a timer on heated towel rails
• Wrap hot water cylinders and pipes
• Change to LED light bulbs
• Use a low-cost shower flow restrictor or get a new, efficient showerhead
• Use cold washes for laundry

Energywise offers a helpful list of energy reduction tips

Be prepared for outages

Make sure you:

• Store cooking fuel and gas for your BBQ
• Use surge protectors to avoid damage to your TV or computer
• Have emergency water supplies for drinking and washing
• Keep your mobile charged and consider having a mobile power pack
• Have a torch and some spare batteries handy

Stay informed during an outage

• Check the Top Energy Outage App on your mobile phone
• Go online to our outage centre
• Call 0800 867 363 to report an outage