Flick has been sold to Meridian

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214 posts

Master Geek

#3374355 18-May-2025 17:36

Nate001:

A word of caution, as the creator of the tool said, the results are not guaranteed. Do double check if you can before making any conclusions.

I uploaded my csv, selected a date range and the results do not match my own calculations in excel. Verified with ChatGPT the same data and rates and it matched my excel. In my case the online tool was overstating.

Definitely follow this advice. It’s a tool that was created via AI, and only tested with 1 csv export. I compared it to my actual billing and it was a few dollars different but not enough to be concerned. If people want to make it more accurate feel free to send me your export csv and I’ll run it through and ask the AI to do better 😂.

Ge0rge

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#3374358 18-May-2025 17:54

I don't think solar would really make that much difference really, Unless you are getting a variable solar rate, or looking to go to one. For most plans, solar is one flat rate, and your company will tell you how many kWh you exported - so multiply that by whatever rate is on offer.

rhy7s

625 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3374359 18-May-2025 17:59

dazzanz:

...
I don’t have solar so I have no idea how that looks in an export. If you want to send me a csv with it I can look at including it. You might have to explain how it should work though.

I'll send you a bill and usage data. If it's possible to split out the channel data and specify which is solar you could see import, export and aggregate graphs maybe. With our current plan we'd have to estimate the buyback rate from the last month's average as we were buying at spot through Flick but most other places seem to have fixed rates.

rhy7s

625 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3374582 19-May-2025 09:52

Here are rates including GST I've found so far for our location (with most competitors having less generous periods of time included in off-peak, does anyone know what the peak and off-peak periods are on Contact in Northland and whether their EAA levy is added to both import and export?):

dazzanz

214 posts

Master Geek

#3374599 19-May-2025 10:14

rhy7s:

I'll send you a bill and usage data. If it's possible to split out the channel data and specify which is solar you could see import, export and aggregate graphs maybe. With our current plan we'd have to estimate the buyback rate from the last month's average as we were buying at spot through Flick but most other places seem to have fixed rates.

I've added basic support for export, you can now select your channel and set a default export rate for a profile. https://polite-pixie-3494cd.netlify.app

I've also modified the day calculations a bit as I think it was misaligning the first period of the day to the previous day, so you may notice some small differences compared to the last version.

dazzanz

214 posts

Master Geek

#3374615 19-May-2025 11:40

I've done another pass at the calculations and now it brings the result to 2 cents of my actual bill for a time period. Also I've added in the results area an expand button so you can view how the usage is broken down and assigned in the profile. There was a bug where for example if a rate was 3-6am free power, it would also assign the 6-6:30 usage as free, since it started with 6.

nickb800

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#3398456 30-Jul-2025 17:03

So Meridian finally sent through my new rates - I can't say I'm surprised, but I'm still disappointed.

They will shift me from a time of use plan with Flick to a simple Anytime/Controlled plan. This will cost me 20% or $671 more, or $551 more including their $120 credit for the first year. That comparison is between Meridian's rates today, and Flick's rates as of April 2025.

Their executive promised time of use plans for Flick customers, so it's pretty poor form to go back on their word: https://www.consumer.org.nz/articles/flick-electric-sale-to-meridian-what-to-do-if-you-re-a-customer

Naturally, I won't be sticking around with Meridian!

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MikeFly

156 posts

Master Geek

#3398458 30-Jul-2025 17:12

@nickb800 Were you on the 3 free hours plan or something else?

nickb800

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#3398489 30-Jul-2025 19:23

MikeFly:

@nickb800 Were you on the 3 free hours plan or something else?

Nope, just a peak/offpeak plan where I paid for every kilowatt

robocat

109 posts

Master Geek

#3398574 31-Jul-2025 00:29

Wheelbarrow01:

They came and picked their 2 x 45kg gas bottles up, and I then bought and filled my own 18kg bottles. Given this is for our bach, we typically only used a single 45kg bottle in a year or so, so the 2 x 18kg bottles will last us around the same time - we'll just ferry a bottle back home in the boat to refill every 6 months (around $50 a fill vs $190 for Genesis' 45kg swap)

I tried to do the same living near the sea, but the 18kg bottles I bought were painted and they rusted within a couple of years (and the gas station refuses to refill rusty bottles).

I would buy Zinc plated if I could find them.

I will probably just rent a single 35kg bottle since that would work out cheaper than buying bottles that rust out.

tchart

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#3398608 31-Jul-2025 08:03

nickb800:

Naturally, I won't be sticking around with Meridian!

Same here...

plas

455 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3398629 31-Jul-2025 09:06

MikeFly:

@nickb800 Were you on the 3 free hours plan or something else?

I was on the 3 free hour plan, but yet to see anything from Meridan.

MikeFly

156 posts

Master Geek

#3398643 31-Jul-2025 09:54

plas:

MikeFly:

@nickb800 Were you on the 3 free hours plan or something else?

I was on the 3 free hour plan, but yet to see anything from Meridan.

Same here hence the interest, however I feel I will be joining the exodus.

concordnz

474 posts

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EMT (R)

#3398652 31-Jul-2025 10:19

I havnt seen anything from Meridian yet, - I'd be disappointed if I get a 20% increase, as I already recently got hit with a 20%-25% rise, in the last few months of Flick.

I'd be interested to hear who you go with @nickb800

it sounds like we have similar size homelab/power bills...

nickb800

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#3398655 31-Jul-2025 10:35

concordnz:

I havnt seen anything from Meridian yet, - I'd be disappointed if I get a 20% increase, as I already recently got hit with a 20%-25% rise, in the last few months of Flick.

I'd be interested to hear who you go with @nickb800

it sounds like we have similar size homelab/power bills...

Powershop looks like the closest option as they offer time of day options including a daytime offpeak rate (but yes, a Meridian company)

Toast electric, which is a not for profit, offers a surprisingly competitive day/night plan (but no daytime offpeak). Not as cheap as Powershop, but the profits do good, so that's a consideration.

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