Business: Moving to a Fixed Energy Plan
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between a Fixed Energy Plan and Fixed Rate Plan?
A Fixed Energy Plan provides you with some price certainty for the electricity you use. It allows you to lock in your energy charges for the agreed term so you’ll not be subject to any energy usage price increases over that period. Other charges, like network charges, may change (increase or decrease) during the period of your contract. Because of this, the Fixed Energy Plan is usually priced more competitively than the Fixed Rate Plan.
The Fixed Rate Plan locks in all of the costs associated with the supply of electricity to you, not just the energy component. Fixed Rate Plans are currently only available to residential properties.
What is included in the Fixed Energy Plan rate?
The rate you pay for your electricity supply can be made up of several components including Meridian’s charges for the energy you use, network company charges and applicable governmental or regulatory charges. It’s Meridian’s energy charges that are locked in for the agreed term by signing up on a Fixed Energy Plan. Only network charges and government levies or charges may change. Fixed pricing applies when your price category, capacity and metering configuration stays the same and no new network charge is introduced. If any of these changes, and we can no longer offer the plan you are on, we’ll give you prior notice and help you find a new plan. Read the full Terms and Conditions here.
Is it possible for my Fixed Energy Plan rates to change throughout the duration of the plan?
The rates you’re billed may be adjusted to reflect any changes in network company charges or any other governmental or regulatory charges incurred by Meridian for your supply of electricity. The Electricity Authority Levy Charge, an additional charge that forms a small part of the bill, is also subject to change.
What services are not included in Fixed Energy Plans?
If you have a Smart Meter rebate, then it will no longer apply to your new Fixed Energy Plan. If you have any unmetered supplies, then it is not part of the Fixed Energy Plan offer and those rates can be changed at any time.
Do any exit fees apply?
Exit fees do apply to certain fixed energy plans. You can check the details of your offer, or confirmation email to see if they apply to you.
Are the rates for my other properties changing as well?
If you have properties that are not listed on the PDF rate information table attached to your email, then they may not have expired. If the plans for your other properties do expire, then you we’ll contact you in writing 30 days beforehand.
Can I change my other properties to Fixed Energy Plans?
Yes, simply call us on 0800 496 777 to find out more.
When do ‘summer’ or ‘winter’ rates apply?
If applicable, summer rates in most networks apply from 1 October to 30 April and winter rates apply for the rest of the year. In Ashburton, summer rates apply from 1 September to 30 April, and in Marlborough, summer rates apply from 1 September to 31 May.
How do I know if they apply to my rates?
They apply if it says ‘summer’ or ‘winter’ in the ‘season’ column of the rate information tables in the PDF that was attached to your email. There are some rates where it won’t apply and will show as ‘year round’ instead. This means that you’re charged this one rate for all associated usage.
I don’t recognise some of my new rate descriptions. Have these changed?
Our pricing structure for irrigation connections in the Orion network has changed to capacity based charging. Since 3 November 2011, all Meridian’s irrigation rates in the Orion network contain the following components for connections in this category:
- Volume charge – cents / kWh
- Daily charge – cents / day
- Capacity charge – cents / kW / day based on the size of the pump at the connection+
- Interruptibility rebate – cents / kW / day based on the size of the pump at the connection (this rebate is conditional on certain equipment being installed at the connection)
- Power factor correction rebate – cents / kVAr / day based on the reactive power rating of installed capacitors (this rebate is conditional on certain equipment being installed at the connection)
The full Summer Season from 1 October to 30 April applies only to volume charges and a limited summer season from 1 October to 31 March applies to capacity charges, the interruptibility rebate and power factor correction. This change did not previously apply to you as your Plan was fixed. If you have any questions about this change, please call our dedicated Agribusiness Team on 0800 496 444.