Further drop in power bills will impact Shire
COST RELIEF
Douglas Shire Mayor Michael Kerr said he was delighted to learn that regional Queensland household power bills will fall for the third year in a row from 1 July, by $84 for households and by $75 for small businesses.
This has a direct impact on the Douglas Shire which relies on Ergon Energy.
And Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham, who made the announcement said “today’s news - the biggest drop in 15 years - tops off a range of rebates and relief measures in place to help Queensland recover.”
He added this was welcome news for households and business in regional communities as Queensland works to recover from COVID-19.
“This is great news for the shire coming at a time when we are experiencing it tough.
“It would be nice to get this kind of news more often,” said Kerr.
Dr Lynham said Queensland is fighting back from COVID-19, and cost of living relief for households and business cost relief for employers are important.
“The Palaszczuk Government has always been focused on putting downward pressure on power prices.
The prices were released today by the independent Queensland Competition Authority in its determination of regulated power prices for regional Queensland for 2020-21.
It is the third year in a row that regulated regional power prices have dropped, and the largest fall in 15 years. Over the past three years, this will represent savings of $166 for a typical regional household and around $299 for a small business.
This comes on top of two individual $50 dividend payments over the past two years and $200 COVID relief off utility bills (power and water) and $500 for small business.
In 2019-20 the Government allocated around $500 million to subsidise regional power bills to ensure regional Queenslanders pay a similar price for power as their SEQ cousins.
Dr Lynham said the government had also locked in another two annual $50 dividend payments for the next two years.
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