Power charges

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32902, 28 April 1972, Page 1

Power charges

(N.Z. Pr«»» Auociatton) WELLINGTON, April 27. Regulations are being drafted which would provide that electricity charges should not be increased beyond the rate charged at January 31 without the consent of the Minister of Finance, the Associate Minister of Finance (Mr Gair) announced in a statement today. Electricity supply would be soon removed from the list of items under category A of the Stabilisation of Prices Regulations. As announced earlier, it had been agreed that charges for electricity supply would be frozen until March 31 next year after the Government’s decision to defer the scheduled increase in the bulk supply tariff. Mr Gair said that after further discussions between the Electrical Supply Authorities’ Association and the Government, it had been decided that it would be more appropriate to record the agreement reached in separate regulations and these were being drafted. "It is not expected that there will be any applications for increased charges, but if exceptional circumstances arose, the application would be considered by a committee of representatives of the authority, the New Zealand Electricity Department and the Treasury," Mr Gair said. ■The committee is also considering any application for loan assistance for essential capital works during the period of the frozen charges,” he said.