Want to save real dollars on your power bills?

Warrandyte Climate Action Now is calling on local residents to register interest in a community power saving initiative that could shave hundreds of dollars off individual annual power bills.

The not-for-profit group is organising a “strategic purchasing scheme” with Power Group Purchasing, which has dubbed the scheme a “savings revolution”.

Under the scheme, all residents involved agree to use the same electricity retailer and each would receive the same deal.

Each retailer offers their best price according to how many residents are involved and the company that offers the best deal is chosen to supply power to the group of residents.

“We’re doing this as a community thing, so it’s up to the people,” WarrandyteCAN president Wayne Rankin said. “We feel that surely people will be interested. They’re saying that power bills are going to be going up again and again so if we can save anything it will be a saving for everyone.”

The initiative was launched in the seaside township of Somers last year. As a result, 200 residents received the same money-saving deals, which included 15 per cent off every electricity bill when paid on time.

Since the Somers success story, several areas in Victoria, including Warrandyte, are looking at introducing the same community bulk-buy scheme. The scheme would last for two years.

People can register interest, but will not be obliged to sign up. Residents can also enter or leave the scheme at any time.

“If we have this thing up and running and it’s been running for eight months, people who move into the area can come in, but it will only run until the end of that two year period. So they can come in or leave at any time during the process,” WarrandyteCAN’s David Tonkin said.

WarrandyteCAN is also interested in involving other groups in the Warrandyte community to push the scheme. They are also inviting businesses to be involved in the initiative, and help push leaflets out to more people in the community.

“In Somers it worked with 200 people. Warrandyte has such a ‘community of groups’. This is not just about WarrandyteCAN,” Mr Rankin said. “The more the merrier, because from what we understand, the more people who sign up, the more persuasive it is to get a better deal and therefore save more on power.”

All residents and businesses in Warrandyte and surrounding areas are able to register their interest in the scheme. Surrounding areas able to take part in the scheme will be specified once all the expressions of interests are received.

Whilst this initiative will help residents save money, Mr Tonkin stressed that everyone should continue conserving power.

“This program is designed to help residents save money on their power—it’s purely monetary,” Mr Tonkin said. “The issue of how you reduce your energy use comes out of the other activities we run in the community.”

● Register your interest at http://www.warrandytecan.com.au.

Categories: newsTags: power bills, power group purchasing, WarrandyteCAN