Central Otago's social service groups are entering the debate about high electricity costs, as they record increasing numbers of clients seeking help.
An annual meeting of the Alexandra Council of Social Services (Acoss), which covers Central Otago, was held in Alexandra yesterday.
Chairwoman Deirdre Jolly, of Alexandra, said this year's long, cold winter had strained finances already hit by the recession.
In her annual report to the council, Mrs Jolly said policies which encouraged people to replace wood burners and fires with electric heating appliances had made the problem worse for some.
"The winter has brought additional problems with exorbitant power bills. This seems to be linked to the clean air policy being promoted by our local authorities," she said.
Mrs Jolly said she hoped the Government and power companies would get a clear message from disgruntled power users in the district, following a public meeting about the issue next week.
"It seems grossly unfair that when power's being generated at our door we pay extra [line charges]," she said.
Vincent Community Board chairwoman Clair Higginson, who is a local authority representative on Acoss, said the Ministry for the Environment was calling for submissions on a review of national air standards.
The air quality standards prompted local authorities, including the Otago Regional Council and Central Otago District Council, to impose and support stringent emission control programmes which encouraged people to use cleaner-burning heating appliances.
Most suitable appliances were electrical, however, and in replacing traditional fires people had increased their power use.
Central Otago Budgeting Service manager Pam Hughes, who is an Acoss member, said overall the number of clients accessing the service had doubled, and the number being processed for bankruptcy had tripled.
Power bills seemed to have increased to an average of about $400 a month, she said.
The public meeting on power prices will be held in the Alexandra War Memorial Theatre from 7.30pm on August 20.
