Weekends are about to get even better with free power from Contact.  The gentailer has today announced the launch of its Good Weekends energy plan, available from Sunday 3 December 2023, offering Kiwis free energy between 9am and 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

This comes a year after the launch of Dream Charge offering customers reduced energy costs when charging their EVs between 9pm and 7am, as well as Good Nights where customers receive free power from 9pm until midnight every night of the week.

Since Good Nights began in August 2021, Contact customers on this energy plan have received a combined 84 million hours of free power. 

“Three years ago, we started transforming our business with the plan to lead the decarbonisation of New Zealand,” says Contact’s Chief Retail Officer, Matt Bolton.  “We asked ourselves how we could help Kiwis lower their own carbon emissions by making a small change to their everyday behaviour.  The small change is all about using energy at off-peak times.  

“The more we can help shift power use to off-peak times, the greener our electricity becomes.  It’s all about encouraging New Zealanders to change a few habits and shift their usage into off-peak periods which not only helps our country decarbonise, but also reduces energy costs for our customers. It’s a real win-win.”

Timing is everything when it comes to powering your home. By delaying when you put the washing on, run hot water, and heat or cool the house, customers on time of use plans1, which offer free or discounted hours, could save hundreds of dollars on energy each year.

“Each Kiwi household is different, and so too are their energy needs,” says Matt. “Therefore, we want to provide our customers with a range of competitive energy plans to best meet their circumstances.”

With the average Kiwi household spending around $2,2002 a year on electricity, time of use plans could be a game changer for family budgets.

“Of course, this all depends on how much energy a household uses, which can also vary from day to day,” explains Matt. 

Matt says Contact is starting to see a shift in energy habits as customers embrace time of use plans.  “Some of our Good Nights customers have moved more than a third of their daily energy usage to the free period.

“Using energy during off-peak times, like later at night or at the weekend, reduces demand for power during evening peak hours when coal and gas are more likely to be used to supply high levels of energy. So, customers on time of use plans are helping to save the planet as well as saving money.”
More details about Contact’s time of use plans, including Good Nights, Good Charge and Good Weekends, are available at contactenergy.co.nz. 

ENDS

Notes to Editor

1 Time of use energy plans provide customers with a designated time where they can use energy for free or at a discounted rate. The energy price outside of the free or discounted period can differ to the rate of other plans that don’t offer a free period. Contact’s time of use plans are subject to a fair use policy.

2 Figure taken from the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) electricity cost and pricing monitoring report (March 2022 – March 2023) which estimates on average Kiwi homes spend $2,213 (including GST) a year for using around 7,033 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity.

From October 2022 to October 2023, Contact saw a 77% increase in customers opting for its Good Nights plan, which offers three hours of free power a night between 9pm and midnight. Over 70,000 Contact customers are now on the Good Nights plan.

Media enquiries
Lotty Hird
Senior Communications Advisor
M: 027 207 8684
E: lotty.hird@contactenergy.co.nz 

About Contact
Contact Energy is one of New Zealand’s largest energy retailer and generators. We have more than 590,000 connections with electricity, gas, broadband and mobile. Our vision is to build a better Aotearoa New Zealand by leading the decarbonisation of New Zealand’s  We believe home is the most important place in the world.  It’s all part of our long-term vision to create and contribute to a better New Zealand; from the homes and communities we live in, to the land and resources that future generations can enjoy. 
 
Website: contactenergy.co.nz
More information can be found in Contact’s 2023 Integrated Report