Wellington Electricity is partnering with the Electricity Retailers' Association of New Zealand (ERANZ) to help families at the highest risk of energy hardship.

What is EnergyMate?
EnergyMate is a free in-home energy coaching service helping families at the highest risk of energy hardship to reduce electricity costs and live in a warmer home.
EnergyMate supports people in hardship to help cut power bills and increase warmth by:

• getting on the best electricity plan for them
• heating their home in the cheapest way possible
• using simple tips to make their home more energy-efficient; and
• connecting them with other services such as insulation or budgeting support.

Even in well insulated properties, some families can struggle to afford to heat their homes. By providing basic energy literacy, and supporting vulnerable families on to the right energy tariff, EnergyMate can help families to better manage their electricity use.

Who is behind EnergyMate?
EnergyMate is a partnership between electricity retailers, lines companies, community organisations and the Government. EnergyMate is a collaborative, multi-agency effort, providing tangible and practical support for whanau. This industry-led project seeks to reduce the impact of energy hardship for Kiwi families. EnergyMate is being delivered by community-based trained financial mentors through Porirua Whanau Centre, Manukau Urban Māori Authority, and Family Focus Rotorua.

What will happen during an EnergyMate visit?
At the heart of the service is a personalised visit to the homes of families at high risk of energy hardship by a trained financial mentor who already works in the community – who we’re calling an 'EnergyMate coach'. As part of the visit, the EnergyMate coach will:

• connect the family with their energy retailer to make sure they’re on the right plan for their usage and resolve any other payment or debt issues
• provide support with energy literacy
• check appliances and hot water use, and deliver LED lighting where appropriate
• create a simple and practical action plan with the family to empower them to better manage energy usage; and
• ensure the family know where to get further help such as insulation, curtains and budgeting advice.

Find out more about how EnergyMate can help.