Flick has been sold to Meridian

Forums › Off topic › Flick has been sold to Meridian

mentalinc

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#319611 13-May-2025 12:42

Keen to understand who others have been using that offer similar product offering to Flick?

Looks like I have a large price increase coming my way...

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/meridian-to-pay-70m-for-z-energys-flick/SI7DF2N2HZCPPM5HLYDCZA6SOA/

Update: thanks to @dazzanz

For this great AI App to load up your exported pricing and usage to find who might be right for exactly your usage.
https://polite-pixie-3494cd.netlify.app .

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Quic: https://account.quic.nz/refer/473833 R473833EQKIBX

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meow
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#3372767 13-May-2025 13:14

This is the end of times for smaller retailers IMHO.

I was once with Octopus Energy but they have now priced themselves out of the market (not their fault). I’ve always supported the smaller players as they were the only ones fighting for change but Electric Kiwi have also priced themselves way out.

These days I’m with Genesis which leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Would love there to be more competition in NZ but in reality, the big players have squashed that competition out and I don’t see things improving anytime soon.

Thanks Max Bradford!

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wellygary

8312 posts

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#3372773 13-May-2025 13:37

michaelmurfy:

This is the end of times for smaller retailers IMHO.

I was once with Octopus Energy but they have now priced themselves out of the market (not their fault). I’ve always supported the smaller players as they were the only ones fighting for change but Electric Kiwi have also priced themselves way out.

These days I’m with Genesis which leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Would love there to be more competition in NZ but in reality, the big players have squashed that competition out and I don’t see things improving anytime soon.

Thanks Max Bradford!

If you want to sell something you need to make it... Trying to be a middle man in a market driven by the weather is a sure recipe for failure...

This is about the 3rd time since the 90s that the independents have been crushed in supply crunches..

MikeFly

147 posts

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#3372779 13-May-2025 14:09

Can't see anyone doing 3 hours free power per night and paying wholesale rate for solar buyback.

Contact do 3 hours free per night but solar buyback is a crappy 8c/unit

michaelmurfy

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#3372782 13-May-2025 14:25

@MikeFly that “3 hours free” isn’t really free, it’s covered by increased rates during the day. Unless if you have an EV and gamify your power use so almost everything is within those 3 hours you’ll likely end up paying much more.

It’s just marketing - just like Electric Kiwi’s 1hr free, or Contacts “free weekends”.

BlargHonk

147 posts

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#3372785 13-May-2025 14:30

michaelmurfy:

@MikeFly that “3 hours free” isn’t really free, it’s covered by increased rates during the day. Unless if you have an EV and gamify your power use so almost everything is within those 3 hours you’ll likely end up paying much more.

It’s just marketing - just like Electric Kiwi’s 1hr free, or Contacts “free weekends”.

We have Meridian with 4hrs free. We are consistently using ~66% of our power during those 4hrs and their rates are very similar to the other providers in our area. Getting a Timer for our HWC was a game-changer (as well as using the dryer, dishwasher, washing machine during those hours)

mattwnz

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#3372786 13-May-2025 14:31

I was listen to a podcast about the lack of competition in New Zealand in many sectors. They mentioned that until the Genretailers were split up into generation and retail, similar to what happened to Telecom, then not much is going to change. Also the removal of the low daily charge means many people who use low amounts of power can be easily paying double but power, especially when the daily charge is more than the power used.

Behodar

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#3372788 13-May-2025 14:43

Something has to be done. It wasn't all that long ago that if my bill was over $100 then something was wrong. Meanwhile last month's was $166 after another recent rate hike (it's just me here, and at this time of year I haven't been using the heat pump).

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mattwnz

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#3372803 13-May-2025 15:19

Behodar:

Something has to be done. It wasn't all that long ago that if my bill was over $100 then something was wrong. Meanwhile last month's was $166 after another recent rate hike (it's just me here, and at this time of year I haven't been using the heat pump).

Kiwis just grin and bare it. Yet it appears these companies are making record profits. It shouldn’t be increasing by more than inflation. I thought the Commerce Commission was supposed to promote competition, but allowing a small player to be gobbled up by a major player isn’t helping with competition imo.

MikeFly

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#3372813 13-May-2025 15:40

michaelmurfy:

@MikeFly that “3 hours free” isn’t really free, it’s covered by increased rates during the day. Unless if you have an EV and gamify your power use so almost everything is within those 3 hours you’ll likely end up paying much more.

It’s just marketing - just like Electric Kiwi’s 1hr free, or Contacts “free weekends”.

We do have an EV, we can get about 62% into the Model 3 in the 3 hours. We do have a timer on our hot water, and the hot water in the sleepout. We do run the underfloor heating tank then. We have new appliances so dishwasher, washing machine, dryer all run then. We have even cooked meals in the oven during that time for the following night.

Prior to going solar we were getting about 60% free, and we are both home all day, I can't find anyone offering me power at 60% less than I am currently paying.

MikeFly

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#3372815 13-May-2025 15:45

BlargHonk:

We have Meridian with 4hrs free. We are consistently using ~66% of our power during those 4hrs and their rates are very similar to the other providers in our area. Getting a Timer for our HWC was a game-changer (as well as using the dryer, dishwasher, washing machine during those hours)

@BlargHonk what plan is that, can't see it anywhere on the Meridian site?

Edit: Ah https://nextgen.meridianenergy.co.nz/core-landing-page

BlargHonk

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#3372819 13-May-2025 15:50

Yeah that's the one. I saw it on Cheapies.nz and jumped over before they closed it off for new people. I was on Contact Good Nights before that with the 3hrs free but they put their prices up.

mattwnz

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#3372821 13-May-2025 16:03

MikeFly:

BlargHonk:

We have Meridian with 4hrs free. We are consistently using ~66% of our power during those 4hrs and their rates are very similar to the other providers in our area. Getting a Timer for our HWC was a game-changer (as well as using the dryer, dishwasher, washing machine during those hours)

@BlargHonk what plan is that, can't see it anywhere on the Meridian site?

Edit: Ah https://nextgen.meridianenergy.co.nz/core-landing-page

If you are with farmlands, they offer 5 years at a fixed rate https://farmlands.co.nz/FarmlandsCard/KeyCardPartners/Energy--Gas/MeridianEnergy/index.html . You dont get the 4 hours free though. But with power prices continuing to increase, I wonder what the rates will be in 5 years time.

prevaljo

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#3372822 13-May-2025 16:03

These companies (Gentailers) have to pay dividends to the shareholders pretty much every year. That money could be invested in new generation or the Cook Strait cable (yes I know that's a different organisation) but all these companies contribute to the cost of electricity for New Zealanders. I expect that we will soon be getting hit with Cook Strait cable levy, similar to the Wellington sludge levy, only bigger..I do blame Max Bradford for his naive decisions, which we are now stuck with.

mattwnz

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#3372826 13-May-2025 16:16

prevaljo:

These companies (Gentailers) have to pay dividends to the shareholders pretty much every year. That money could be invested in new generation or the Cook Strait cable (yes I know that's a different organisation) but all these companies contribute to the cost of electricity for New Zealanders. I expect that we will soon be getting hit with Cook Strait cable levy, similar to the Wellington sludge levy, only bigger..I do blame Max Bradford for his naive decisions, which we are now stuck with.

One of those being to the government. So they don't want to make major changes that could effect their revenue. Normally with income generation assets like the cook strait cable, a business will depreciate the assets over time and money then put aside for their replacement. But I understand with this new cable, they are wanting to offset the cost as an additional cost on power prices for the next 40 years. But how did they fund it last time in the 90's when it got replaced. I think it is a bit sus that they never mentioned this in the news article I saw. 1.4 billion though over 40 years isn't a bad price though considering any piece of infrastructure now seems to be over a billion. But I recall a new harbour bridge would be about that amount and could be paid for over 40 years with tolls or regional fuel tax, or rates if it isn't part of the state highway network.

MikeFly

147 posts

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#3372831 13-May-2025 16:37

mattwnz:

If you are with farmlands, they offer 5 years at a fixed rate https://farmlands.co.nz/FarmlandsCard/KeyCardPartners/Energy--Gas/MeridianEnergy/index.html . You dont get the 4 hours free though. But with power prices continuing to increase, I wonder what the rates will be in 5 years time.

Thanks, I am with Farmlands, will check that out.

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