Set up a direct debit payment and we'll deduct the amount owing from your bank account each month on the due date. It's a simple, secure way to pay your bill and ensures you'll get your 10% prompt payment discount.

With SmoothPay you pay a set amount throughout the year, smoothing out the highs and lows of your energy bill so there are no surprises.

You can also pay your bill using Internet or telephone banking, by posting us a cheque or in person at any PostShop outlet.

Log on to your banks Internet banking service on or before the due date of your bill, and pay the full amount shown on your bill, less the prompt payment discount.

Getting set up

Go to your banks website, register with their Internet banking service and select Empower" as a payee/biller. If your bank does not have Empower set up as a bill payee, youll need these details to set this up:

• Bank account name: Empower Limited
• Account number: 03-0502-0223829-07
• Reference number: Use your 10 digit energy account number which can be found on the front page of your bill on the top right hand side

Call your banks telephone banking service on or before the due date of your bill, and pay the full amount owing, less the prompt payment discount.

Getting set up

• Call your bank and ask for Empower to be listed as a payee/biller on your telephone banking account. Youll need to have your Empower account number to set this up and provide Empowers bank account details as listed above.

Make your cheque out to Empower Limited and post it to us, along with the remittance slip, in the FreePost envelope that comes with your bill. (If you dont have our envelope, send your payment to: Empower Limited, FreePost 113763, PO Box 38097, Te Puni, Wellington Mail Centre.)

We need to receive your cheque on or before the due date for you to qualify for the 10% prompt payment discount.

Please call the faults number listed on your bill and below:

In all other areas, please call Empower directly on 0800 34 00 00.

No cost

You can do lots of things around your home to save energy at little or no extra effort or cost. The simplest, cheapest and most obvious way to save energy is to turn off anything that doesn't need to be switched on.

Water heating

• Adjust the thermostat so that hot water is 55C at the tap.
• Fix dripping taps.
• Have showers instead of baths.
• Keep your showers short.
• Use cold water when you're filling the jug, rinsing dishes and washing clothes.
• Switch off your hot water if you're away for more than two weeks.

Heating

• Capture as much sun as possible - keep windows clean and make sure trees don't obstruct the sun.
• Close the doors and curtains of rooms that you're heating.
• Close curtains just before it gets dark to keep in the heat.
• Put heaters away from windows so they heat the room more effectively.
• Turn off heaters in rooms you're not using.
• Use the thermostat and timer on your heaters so they only come on when you need them and automatically switch off when they reach a certain temperature.
• Block off your fireplace when you're not using it.
• Turn off your heated towel rail in summer months and when you're not using it.
• Shower with the windows open to avoid moisture forming - dry air is easier to heat and better for your health.
• Put an extra blanket on the bed instead of using your electric blanket.

Fridge & freezer

• Refrigeration counts for up to 10 percent of home energy use.
• Avoid opening the fridge doors more than you need to - take all the food for a meal out at once and shut the doors straight away.
• Fridges and freezers operate most efficiently when they're full but not overloaded.
• Defrost your freezer regularly to reduce the ice build-up.
• Keep food covered to reduce moisture build-up on the inside of the fridge. Wipe moisture from bottles and other containers before you put them back in the fridge.
• Use the most efficient temperature settings i.e. set your freezer at -18C and your fridge between 2C and 5C.
• Leave space around the back of your fridge or freezer for air to circulate.
• Avoid placing your fridge or freezer next to your oven or stove, or in direct sunlight.
• Do you have a second fridge? Turn it off if you don't need it all the time.

Cooking

• Let food cool down before putting it in the fridge or freezer.
• Defrost food naturally instead of using the microwave.
• Use a microwave or toaster instead of the oven or stovetop whenever you can.
• Avoid opening oven doors too often - each time you do the temperature drops by up to 15C.
• Use your oven to cook several things at once.
• Keep lids on the pots when you are cooking and make sure the lids fit well.
• Put small pots on small elements and large pots on larger elements.
• Make sure oven seals are kept clean and are properly fitted.

Lighting

• Switch off any lights that you're not using and take advantage of natural lighting whenever possible.
• Choose the appropriate strength of bulb for the area - i.e. don't use a 100 watt bulb for a bedside lamp when a 40 watt bulb would be sufficient.
• Clean your lights and lampshades regularly to get the maximum light.

Other appliances

• 5 percent of home energy is consumed by appliances being on standby.
• When you're not using appliances, unplug them or switch them off at the wall. Even standby mode wastes power.
• Turn off your computer when you're not using it.
• Turn off chargers at the wall when batteries are fully charged e.g. mobile phones and laptops.
• Wait until the dishwasher is full before you use it - and use the economy cycle.
• If your dishwasher can generate its own hot water then use this function as it's more efficient than using hot water from your cylinder.
• Don't overload your washing machine (although its better to wash full loads than half loads) and don't forget to adjust your wash cycle to match the load.
• Use shorter wash cycles if possible.
• Make sure your clothes are well spun before putting them in the dryer.
• Dry washing on your clothesline as often as possible. Try to only use your clothes dryer when you have to.
• If you're using the clothes dryer, fill it - it's more efficient to dry a full load.
• Use the low heat setting on your dryer whenever you can.
• Ventilate the clothes dryer to the outside.
• Clean your dryer's lint filter every time you use it.

Low cost

The results can be significant if you are prepared to spend a small amount in making sure youre not wasting energy.

Hot water

• Install a hot water cylinder wrap.
• Insulate the hot water pipes that are right beside your hot water cylinder.
• Fit a water-saving low-flow shower head.
• Replace broken hot water thermostats.

Heating

• Replace worn seals on your oven, fridge or freezer so hot and cold air cant escape.
• Weatherproof your house to minimise air leaks around doors and windows use weather seals from a hardware store.
• Fix any gaps in your ceiling insulation.
• Block chimneys and draughts around doors.
• Use a door snake to keep draught out of rooms that you're heating.
• Use a ceiling fan to distribute heat in winter and cool air in summer.
• Replace broken heating thermostats.

Lighting

• Use energy efficient lighting (compact fluorescent light bulbs) wherever you can they use 75 percent less energy than normal light bulbs.
• Paint walls a light colour to reflect more light.
• Install motion sensors on your outside lights.

Some cost

There are a number of options available to you that can make a major difference to your health and comfort - and to your power bill - if you are prepared to invest in making sure you are getting the most from your energy.

General

• Buy a Grade A hot water cylinder.
• Install extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom to avoid moisture forming dry air is easier to heat and better for your health.
• A dehumidifier or domestic ventilation system can help to keep your house dry.
• Heat pumps are an efficient way of both heating and cooling a well insulated home.
• Replace old appliances with energy efficient models. Choose one with a high energy star rating.

Insulation

• Install ceiling insulation a large proportion of heat can be lost through an uninsulated ceiling.
• Install under floor insulation.
• Insulate walls when you do renovations.
• Insulate all your hot water pipes.
• Fit thermal-lined curtains. For added efficiency you can also install pelmets at the top of the curtains to help keep the heat in.
• Double glaze your windows (do the rooms you use the most first).

Gas heating

• Natural gas heating provides instant warmth with no warm-up phase, making it more efficient than other conventional heating methods. Gas heaters are less expensive and produce lower greenhouse gas emissions than electric heaters. Important things to remember when installing your gas heater:
  • Make sure your flued gas heater is installed by a Registered Gasfitter.
  • Choose the right sized flued gas heater for the area you are trying to heat.
  • Flued gas heaters are more efficient if the recommended clearance spaces are maintained at all times.
  • Make sure your gas heater is serviced regularly.
  • If you have a LPG gas heater, make sure the area is well ventilated.