Anyone else noticed that the Other Charges amount on the dashboard snapshot meter is about 3c/unit cheaper than usual?

That must be why power is showing as 19c instead of the usual 22c on my phone/web (chch-fixie), don't see anything on their facebook/twitter page about price change, so probably a mistake?

gorbulas:

 

... so probably a mistake?

 

should keep schtum then!?

How are all the Flick customers doing? Still seeing ultra high prices during the hotness summer as my Christchurch 'Flick O Metre' is just past the 1pm clock position.

We been on the Fixie plan with steady $40/wk bills for around 190 units, since early Oct. Spot prices have been quite a bit above average a lot of that time, and I don't think they'll settle back down below $100/MWh any time soon, with all the outages and maintenance planned, and then winter.

Actually thinking about switching to another company because the Fixie plan's night rate in chch is 13.8+gst = ~16cents/kWh which is relatively steep, I feel like its subsidising day users to some extent. Many other retailers have higher day rates and lower night rates, and I'd assume much of Flicks customer base leans towards off peak usage, we consistently use 75% total consumption off peak

gorbulas:

 

We been on the Fixie plan with steady $40/wk bills for around 190 units, since early Oct. Spot prices have been quite a bit above average a lot of that time, and I don't think they'll settle back down below $100/MWh any time soon, with all the outages and maintenance planned, and then winter.

 

Actually thinking about switching to another company because the Fixie plan's night rate in chch is 13.8+gst = ~16cents/kWh which is relatively steep, I feel like its subsidising day users to some extent. Many other retailers have higher day rates and lower night rates, and I'd assume much of Flicks customer base leans towards off peak usage, we consistently use 75% total consumption off peak

 

We are around 100 units per week which gets us about $25/per week. This is on the low user plan which units are slightly more than the 'standard' user plan. The biggest savings is using off peak power as much as you can but of course that all depends on your day to day activity. 2 months ago I was persistent on getting Genesis to send out an electrician to change our smart meter configuration to suit Christchurch's "Orion Power" day & night use. The plan is basically weekend rate and day rate however, unlike other electricity retailers, Genesis honors Orion's off peak time periods. ALL of Saturday and Sunday is on the low off peak rate which equates 2 out of 7 days we can load up on usage. During week days, off peak starts at 9PM to 7AM. Quite generous compared to Contact and others. I must remind you, Genesis isn't out open to have Christchurch residents to switch on the weekend low rate because it clearly means less revenue. I had to call 3 times and $175 fee for the software reconfiguration. I'm quite certain when I was with Flick, they did not have the weekend low rate. They were also stuck with charging an extra 5c/kwh across the board during winter months use. (a surcharge imposed by Orion). Somehow, Genesis just absorbs that surcharge to give a flat rate pricing throughout the year.

In Christchurch here, been with Flick for years and on Fixie since October. Recently received an offer to re-fix (or rather re-Fixie) early for another six months starting from now at the same prices. I'll probably take this, and look at how spot prices are for Freestyle 6 months from now.

I'm well aware other companies that also pass on Orion night 9pm-7am and weekend off-peak periods have lower night/weekend rates - and higher weekday rates - than Flick Fixie, and maybe that would work out a bit cheaper for us. Or maybe it wouldn't. We have most usage off-peak with overnight EV charging, overnight timer on the dishwasher, and lawnmower and oven meals on weekends, but we also have some heating and meal prep and shower hot water use at weekday rates.

Overall I'm happy with Flick on principle even if another retailer would work out cheaper because I like being provided the option of wholesale rates. I'd never consider the likes of Genesis because I've heard enough stories of hassle and big one-off meter configuration fees to retain the full Orion off-peak rates with them (not only from this forum) and I think they have at times abused their generation market position as owner of the most upstream Waitaki hydro stations. I think transferring ownership of those stations from Meridian to Genesis before the partial sell-off was one of many poor government decisions that has affected competition and fair pricing for residential users. IMO the current market situation is a mess and needs many changes. Forcing the large "gentailers" to split into separate generation and retail entities (with exception for large-scale long-term contracts e.g. the aluminium smelter) would be a good start. But that's a topic for another forum and another day.

heapsort:

 

In Christchurch here, been with Flick for years and on Fixie since October. Recently received an offer to re-fix (or rather re-Fixie) early for another six months starting from now at the same prices. I'll probably take this, and look at how spot prices are for Freestyle 6 months from now.

 

That's interesting that Flick are offering similar prices for further fixed terms. I've enjoyed being on Fixie but whenever I check em6 I see spot prices north of $100 so wonder how they can offer a hedged price that is consistently below the market average. Perhaps they are looking out beyond the Pokohura gas outage and see prices settling back to their previous norm of $60-70

😮 Wow prices are high now in Christchurch after 9pm (which is off peak). No sense trying to charge your EV at these rates.

Genesis got me on a power shout tomorrow 5pm - 10pm block. Suppose to hit 32C :O

SBQ:

 

😮 Wow prices are high now in Christchurch after 9pm (which is off peak). No sense trying to charge your EV at these rates.

Genesis got me on a power shout tomorrow 5pm - 10pm block. Suppose to hit 32C :O

 

Why though? Im here, yes it was nice today, it cooled late afternoon to 18 or so. Surely half the town isn't running aircon??? 

This used to be a winter thing, or summer when lakes are low. I have seen any mention of low lakes online. If a lake was 5mm low, you would hear it on Stuff!

This was the very problem i've found when I was with Flick. I agree during the winter months there would be news of low lake levels or some inability for electrical generation and the Flick price would reflect that. But all too often i've found inconsistencies just like this. Christchurch from 5pm onwards was pretty much a cool easterly wind day. No point on having the AC. So Flick's only response to such 'inconsistencies' in price spikes was to offer a Flexie Plan. Still... for those in Christchurch there needs to be more transparency in price / on what causes these spikes. Perhaps someone else would know.

As an ex-Flick customer, why do I keep checking the Flick Meter? Because I want to be sure my choice switching back to Genesis was the right one. Also it keeps me alert if there's a better deal elsewhere.

SBQ, as you're a former Flick customer I'm curious why you still post to this thread. In fact not just occasionally; you're the most active poster to the thread.

Have spot prices been very high at times recently? Sure. Is any of that within Flick's control? No. As a non-generator they are entirely in the same boat as their customers. Is any of it within control of the large gentailers like Meridian and Genesis? Actually yes, to varying extents.

Would spot spikes be hurting Flick customers? A few, but probably not many. Flick have been very active and communicative in making customers aware of market conditions and the Fixie plan, and I expect most are on Fixie right now.

Would I save a few dollars a year by switching from Flick Fixie to the lower night/weekend rate (but higher weekday rate) prices of whatever Genesis plan you have, if it was even available? Maybe. Don't know, don't care.

Would such a switch be seamless and hassle-free without any need to make sure I'm getting the full night rate hours promised, and no need to pay a hefty fee to "reconfigure" the already smart meter at my house? Maybe. Don't know, don't care.

If I was to switch away from Flick (and no intention of doing so) I'd probably go to Ecotricity even though they might be slightly more expensive than my current Flick Fixie prices. Because money isn't the only consideration. For example: I generally buy products from brick and mortar shops first where possible, occasionally Mighty Ape and some other online retailers, but never Amazon because of their extremely unethical business practices. Similarly, I will never choose a large gentailer as my retailer with our electricity market in its current state because they are a fairly substantial contributor to the problems.

So I'm genuinely curious why these posts continue many months after Flick last saw a cent of your money.

tdgeek:

 

Why though? Im here, yes it was nice today, it cooled late afternoon to 18 or so. Surely half the town isn't running aircon??? 

 

This used to be a winter thing, or summer when lakes are low. I have seen any mention of low lakes online. If a lake was 5mm low, you would hear it on Stuff!

 

It's very hot in the north island, so could be high demand for air conditioning and such.

heapsort:

 

SBQ, as you're a former Flick customer I'm curious why you still post to this thread. In fact not just occasionally; you're the most active poster to the thread.

 

So I'm genuinely curious why these posts continue many months after Flick last saw a cent of your money.

 

Anyone is allowed to talk about any topic they choose. Curious why you would want to discourage someone else from posting about a topic they're clearly interested in.

timmmay:

tdgeek:

Why though? Im here, yes it was nice today, it cooled late afternoon to 18 or so. Surely half the town isn't running aircon??? 

This used to be a winter thing, or summer when lakes are low. I have seen any mention of low lakes online. If a lake was 5mm low, you would hear it on Stuff!

It's very hot in the north island, so could be high demand for air conditioning and such.

 

heapsort:

SBQ, as you're a former Flick customer I'm curious why you still post to this thread. In fact not just occasionally; you're the most active poster to the thread.

So I'm genuinely curious why these posts continue many months after Flick last saw a cent of your money.

Anyone is allowed to talk about any topic they choose. Curious why you would want to discourage someone else from posting about a topic they're clearly interested in.