Vic: Govt moves to cushion electricity price hikes

AAP General News (Australia)
12-19-2001
Vic: Govt moves to cushion electricity price hikes

Victorian households will pay an average of $2 to $28 more on their electricity bills
next year and small businesses will be hit by average rises of $36 to $60.

Premier STEVE BRACKS has announced his government has approved average price increases
ranging from 2.5 per cent to 15.5 per cent for the state's five electricity retailers,
from January 13.

But, he says it will be offset by a government power rebate for people in regional
and rural areas worth an average of $85 a year for residential, small business and farm
customers on low-consumption tariffs.

This will mean no one in the state will pay no more than 4.7 per cent extra.

Mr BRACKS says the increases are less than those sought by the power retailers, which
ranged from 15 to 21 per cent.

AAP RTV tsc/gfr/aa/rp

KEYWORD: POWER VIC (MELBOURNE)

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