Program to support residential and business customers

Guy Barnett,Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction

More than 850 Tasmanian businesses impacted by COVID-19 and operating in the areas of tourism, hospitality, arts, events and seafood are expected to receive a bill credit as part of targeted support offered by Aurora Energy.

Since March 2020, Aurora Energy has continued to assist affected residential and small business customers through its $5m COVID-19 Customer Support Program, specifically designed to help customers pay their energy bills.

The fund has been used to waive fees and charges, freeze debt and help customers manage their ongoing consumption through subsidised payment plans.

In terms of the latest assistance, Aurora announced in October new support measures for its business customers in the COVID-19 impacted industries of tourism, hospitality, arts, events, transport and seafood.

Aurora business customers in these industries were able to apply for Aurora’s Industry Support Payment, and receive a $500 bill credit applied to their next Aurora Energy account after 30 November 2021.

The program has recently closed, and about 850 Aurora business customers are expected to receive a bill credit as a result of the targeted bill support – a total of about $431,000in assistance.

The payments have been warmly welcomed by customers and stakeholder groups, and is helping customers all around Tasmania.

Importantly, more than $2 million is still available to assist customers through Aurora’s $5M COVID-19 Customer Support Fund, as Tasmania adjusts to living with COVID-19 over the coming months.

Additionally, in 2020-21, Aurora Energy provided $400,000 to the No Interest Loans Energy Saver Loan and Subsidy Scheme (NILS). This contribution enabled 466 low income Tasmanians access to more than 510 energy efficient products.

There are still challenging times ahead but as a proud Tasmanian owned and operated company, Aurora has shown that it is committed to doing what it can to help.

/Public Release. View in full here.