Victoria's energy sector regulator is being urged to reconsider a power price proposal that could increase energy bills across the state, worsening the cost-of-living crisis.
abc.net.au/news/victorias-default-power-price-could-rise-by-30-per-cent/102146660Victoria's energy sector regulator is being urged not to go ahead with a change that could drive up power bills across the state, which social service groups fear could plunge thousands of people into poverty.
It would mean even more belt-tightening for households — such as Shahabuddin Ahmmad's in Melbourne's south-east — who are struggling to meet the rising cost of household goods, bills and raising a child on a single income.Dr Ahmmad, a research scientist, said he already makes whatever compromises he can to save energy while staying warm in his Springvale townhouse, which he said was susceptible to temperature drops because of its wooden flooring.
However, because of its role as a market reference point, any increase finalised by the commission at the end of its consultations is widely expected to affect the vast majority of customers, such as Dr Ahmmad, who are on other deals offered by their energy retailers.
More than 43,000 homes across the state have asked their energy retailer for help paying bills in the three months to the end of December 2022, according to data from the ESC. It hopes setting higher prices in the short term will help bring them down in the medium- and long-term.Professor Bruce Mountain from the Victoria Energy Policy Centre at Victoria University is urging against a rise in the benchmark energy price.
"The price in those contracts has not changed with the war in Ukraine, and has not changed as a consequence of black coal-fired power station failures in in other parts of Australia.
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