Regional Victorians are set to feel the pinch as electricity bills rise, with households and businesses facing higher costs. The increase comes as part of the state government’s efforts to recover a $6 million deficit through the state’s energy regulator.
According to a briefing obtained by the opposition, Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) has been given the green light to raise $14.6 million through industry levies. This means consumers can expect an average hike of 44.8%, adding about $5.30 per household.
Annabelle Cleeland, the Nationals’ Member for Euroa, has criticized the move, accusing the government of “financial mismanagement” and calling the levies a taxpayer-funded bailout. She highlighted that regional communities are bearing the brunt of these increases, with electricity costs in some areas significantly higher than in Melbourne.
For example, AusNet customers in regional eastern Victoria face a default residential tariff of $1902 and $4388 for businesses. In contrast, metropolitan CitiPower customers are charged $1456 for households and $3025 for businesses.
“Regional Victorians are already dealing with unreliable power and frequent outages, and now they’re being hit with higher bills,” Cleeland said. “Every week, I hear from people worried about how these rising costs are affecting their lives and businesses. Our towns are desperate for some relief.”
As the debate over rising energy costs continues, many regional residents are left wondering how they’ll manage the added financial pressure.
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