One in four Kiwi households are struggling to pay power bills as a punishing cold snap tightens its grip, with the coldest nights still to come and temperatures set to plunge as far north as Auckland and Northland.
The cold snap has been driven by frigid air pushing directly off the Antarctic ice sheet, dragging snow down to low levels in the east early in the week. Clearing skies and lighter winds have since let overnight temperatures fall away, setting up severe frosts for Thursday and Friday.
This week, Dunedin was hit by traffic chaos after heavy snowfall, Wellington saw its first dusting in almost a decade, and roads were repeatedly closed. Snow also reached inland Gisborne and Te Mata Peak in Hawke's Bay, while motorists have been warned to watch for black ice as severe frosts set in.
The chill sent electricity use to record highs, with Transpower reporting the country had already topped previous levels as heat pumps and oil columns were turned up.
"This morning we saw a new record for electricity use in New Zealand of 7247 MW as people across the country turned their heaters up as the polar blast moved in," the national grid operator said.
1News meteorologist Dan Corbet explains why heavy frost is expected for large parts of the country. (Source: 1News)
Cold snap hitting consumers' wallets
Power prices are up about 177% since 1999, according to Consumer NZ. Chief executive Jon Duffy said the market needed reform.
"We need to do something so that new retailers looking at entering the market, currently faced with buying electricity off the very people they're competing against – we need to change that so that there is a level playing field for all entrants into the market," he said.
Duffy said the four largest electricity companies controlled about 85% of the market.
However, Electricity Networks Aotearoa chief executive Bridget Abernethy disputed breaking up the sector would lower prices.
"In fact, the evidence that we've seen would suggest that prices could well go up," she said, adding that profits were reinvested into lines and transmission to keep the system reliable.
New figures show households squeezed to pay power bills, emergency services also hitting new records. (Source: 1News)
Demand for food and blankets rises
In Christchurch, community agencies have stepped up to help those doing it tough. St Ambrose Church has been running its food bank and community café, dealing with a rush of people struggling to cover the basics – including power. Donna Bone, from the church, said many were going without.
"A lot of them are using places like us; they're turning things off; they're turning the heating off; they are not buying food; they're relying on friends; they're just doing what they can to try and stay warm," she said.
Regular visitor Matt Kemp, a Christchurch resident, has been running his heat pump less this winter.
"You have to wear a lot of layers. Keep yourself warm if you want to keep from getting sick out there. A lot of people in this area are struggling," he said.
The Christchurch Methodist Mission is one of many agencies helping, running a "blanket bank" that is busier than ever. Community lead Fionna Chapman said the need was clear.
"We hear that lots, people are like, we can't afford to keep our house warm. We will make sure that it gets to people in need," she said.
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