Has anyone heard of Meridian's "4 hours free" deal? How can it be obtained? I couldn't find any information on Google. A friend of a friend in Christchurch mentioned he signed up for it at a rate of 0.25c/kWh. It seems like a great deal for winter?
Meridian Energy 4 Hours Free Deal?
doubledippps on 04/06/2024 - 23:31
Last edited 05/06/2024 - 16:07 by 1 other user
Last edited 05/06/2024 - 16:07 by 1 other user
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I haven't seen this deal but a couple of things to check if you are contacting them.
- Is the 0.25c/kWh incl GST? By default, Meridian show their plans Ex GST on the website
- Is there a daily charge as well? It might be a great rate per kWh but if it has high daily charges that could wipe out any savings.
- Is there a contract term? You might get a good winter rate only to be locked in to high rates over other months of the year.
I'm also in Christchurch and got an email about it. I am an existing existing customer on a fixed 24/7 18.18c/kWh $1.25 (GST included) plan I got last year through one of the comparison websites, fixed till 2025)
The email describes the plan as 'Early access' and let me pick 4 separate hour blocks between 4am - 7am, 11am - 2pm and 9pm - 12pm. Lists rates of 25.45c/kWh and $1.3738 daily (GST included).
I did the math and the way our flat uses power we wouldn't be better off. I read the offer as a way to get customers like me off an unprofitable targeted customer acquisition offer they made last year.
We are on the same Meridian plan too (18.18c/kWh and 120.15c/day GST inclusive). We are in Canterbury as well.
Just to remark that I saw a slightly better plan in Powerswitch - via Mercury, 16.07c/kWh and 166.07c/day. Since our consumption is easily >1000kWh per month (we are a big household), this is more attractive to us. Plus, as far as I can remember, Mercury has some little 'perks' whereas we got zilch with Meridian.
Thanks for the tip, I'll have a look.
We are using ~1200Wkh in winter but over summer it drops by half, so I'll have to do some math.
Nothing here but we are on the ev plan that has very low overnight rates.
I did get an email today they are offering 6 months free charging for EVs at zero charge stations which will be useful to offset the RUC payments a bit.
I don't know how much prices vary between Christchurch and Auckland but I did a full comparison of the off-peak rates and free hours for our Auckland home and Contact Energy won hands down with their Good Weekend plan.
Free power 9am - 5pm in the weekend and then 16c per kW (ex GST) for the rest of the time.
Got the ad this morning on FB, here is the link.
https://nextgen.meridianenergy.co.nz/core-landing-page?fbcli…
I’m getting standard rates $0.2634/kWH
Contact good weekend is $0.18
That’s quite a difference to make upFor mine in Christchurch:
Meridian 4 Hours Free: $0.2545/kWH; Daily charge $1.3738/day
Contact Goodweekend: $0.2162/kWH; Daily charge $2.3000/day
That looks like low user rates for Meridian and standard rates for Contact.
@doubledippps: That's interesting: $1.38 (GST incl.) is the (recent) daily charge for low user plans. I wonder whether the site is bugged as it shows the same rates for low user and standard after picking South Island, but different rates for the two options after picking North Island.
@Detruire: It looks like for the South Island there is only 1 set of daily and per kWh rate. Not sure if there's an error there as if you toggle between low and standard user the rates don't change.
For the North Island the rates do change if you toggle.
Low user is
Standard rate $0.3066 /kWH
Daily charge $1.3800/dayStandard user is
Standard rate $0.2634/kWH
Daily charge $2.3287/day@Stoic: Yes that is correct, the person I know that have early access to this also have the same $1.38/d as a standard user
Remember that the Good Weekend rate also has 16 free hours. 9am - 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.
@JunoNZ: For me we usually out of the house during the weekend, which make the deal not so attractive.
Awesome mate thanks for the update!
Worth noting that it requires payment by direct debit and is only available to customers on Orion, United Network, or Vector line networks.
Contact goodnights is still better for me due to Meridian's daily rate.
With Miderian the rates including GST are
25.45c/kWh
$1.3738 dailyand with Contact are
28.98c/kWh
$1.035 dailyIn my last bill for 27 days I was charged for 126kWh and used 496kWh in the free 9pm-12am hours. I'd have to be using 10kwh+ a day in the charged times for it worth it for me.
Contact's add on bonuses have also been good. I've still got $500 worth of credit to use up from adding mobile (never activated) and broadband, have used this for a second time after moving for another deal and then coming back.
Wow my Goodnights rate are $2.4736/kWH; Daily charge $0.2737/day - More than double for the daily charge for me.
I guess if you use less kWH per month it's better to have lower daily charge and higher per kwh? I use about 1600kWH/month during winterI'm pretty sure you've got your unit rate and daily charge the wrong way around
Yes you are correct it is the other way around.
In Auckland
Current rates
Daily $1.99
Peak 0700-2100 $0.2423
Off Peak 2100-0700 $0.1106Trial Plan rates
Daily $2.3287
Fixed $0.2634Does not seem like a good deal prima facie.
For me in Auckland:
Meridian rates:
30.66c/kWh
$1.3738 dailyContact are:
34.73c/kWh
$1.035 dailyIf I use last month's bill of 279kWh+324kWh free with Contact: $127.9 vs $126.75 with Meridian
I am getting exactly same amount between Contact & Meridian. Benefit is additional 1 hour free would save me little bit. Plus free charging for Tesla, which is normally enough from 3 hours free.
If you have a Tesla, you also get free off peak charging on top of the 4 hours free.
How? The plan with meridian saya 4 hours free only nothing about the office peak pricing outside the free hours.
Put your address in and tick that you have an EV then select Tesla
Free hours aren't a deal (no matter how many) if the non-free rate is too high.
Remember 4 hours are only 2.4% of the week’s hours - and if the requirement is off peak then the energy used is less than that.
Likewise huge numbers of off-peak hours aren't a deal if the peak rates are too high.
There are off-peak plans with 138 off-peak hours which for me were more expensive than a plan with just 16 free hours.
https://www.myfavourites.co.nz/home/best-off-peak-power-plan…They should make it easier to compare - but they don't. You’ve got to do the math.
It's 4 hours per day so 16.7% of the days/weeks hours.
These types of deals are only good for people who are able to move most of their power usage to those off peak hours.
Try calling them and asking?
The rates are local, but if you are in Christchurch too, you might get the same deal.