Vic: Number of electricity disconnections jumps
MELBOURNE, Dec 20 AAP - The number of Victorian homes and businesses having their electricitycut off has jumped over the past six months - with one retailer recording a massive 655per cent hike in disconnections.
The Essential Services Commission said today four out Victoria's five electricity retailershad shown a significant increase in disconnections in the six months to June 2002.
The number of Origin customers disconnected was up 32 per cent, AGL up 39 per cent,Pulse up 19 per cent and CitiPower recorded a 655 per cent increase, accounting for 40per cent of the total disconnections in the state.
In the six months, CitiPower disconnected 2,446 customers.
Commission chairman John Tamblyn said the bulk of Citipower's customers were locatedin the inner-city area, where the number of people leaving premises without paying theirbills was higher.
However, he said CitiPower's large increase may also be due to the removal of a holdon disconnections while billing systems were being resolved.
TXU was the only business to report a reduction in disconnections, but also recordedthe highest number of customer complaints.
Dr Tamblyn said the trend was disappointing and urged retailers to be more flexiblein their billing policies for customers with financial difficulties.
However, Dr Tamblyn said: "We need to be able to distinguish those who genuinely can'tpay their bills and need help from those who have the capacity to pay but don't."
Origin, which purchased CitiPower earlier this year, was trialling a hardship policywhich would be extended to former CitiPower customers having difficulties, he said.
AAP svm/gfr/was/de
KEYWORD: ELECTRICITY
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