More than 61,000 customers connected to the Northpower network in Whangārei and Kaipara will get a discount on their power bill as the company distributes almost $12.4 million in its latest annual discount payment.

Northpower electricity consumers will receive about $12.4m in total from Northpower profits through the Northpower Trust. This is $700,000 more than last year, and the fourth year in a row that this consumer discount has increased.

The payout is likely to provide some relief for households struggling with rising power costs.

“We are very pleased to offer this discount back to Northpower’s consumer owners, as we know what a difference it makes each year to so many households,” Northpower chairman Mark Trigg said.

Most residential and business electricity customers connected to Northpower’s network will benefit from a discount of $254.15 including GST in November or December. The only exception to this will be those who have used between 1kWh and 2000kWh for the prior year, who will receive a discount of $94.88 including GST.

The discount will be shown as a credit on customers’ November or December electricity bills.

The annual discount is made possible with the support of the Northpower Electric Power Trust, which owns Northpower on behalf of consumers connected to the Northpower electricity network.

To qualify as eligible, consumers must have an active network connection as at November 1.

Full details of the eligibility criteria are available on Northpower’s website www.northpower.com/pricing/pricing-discount-faqs.

Since 1993, Northpower and the Northpower Trust have given back more than $264m to electricity consumers in Kaipara and Whangārei. The Northpower Trust owns Northpower on behalf of consumers connected to Northpower’s electricity network in Whangārei and Kaipara districts.