It comes as the NSW Government provides its Energy Switch, which compares plans and helps consumers change to a new provider, at all Service NSW Centres and online.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian called Energy Switch a game changer.

“It is more than just another government comparison website,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“For the first time for an Australian government, customers can switch providers in minutes with the click of a mouse or a chat with Service NSW.

“With summer just around the corner, Energy Switch has come at the right time to help households save when their energy [consumption] is the highest.

“We know many families and individuals are facing cost of living pressures and this new measure could help them save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars a year.”

Research carried out by Service NSW found 70 per cent of NSW households pay too much for electricity, particularly customers who haven’t switched for more than 12 months.

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Consumer advocacy group CHOICE said too many people in the Central West are overpaying hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars each year for energy.

CHOICE spokesman Jonathan Brown said power companies have made the market intentionally confusing.

“One of the best ways to save money is by switching providers,” he said. 

“Switching may be getting easier, but remember that your deal could change every couple of months, so you must monitor your price on a regular basis.

“When comparing providers, make sure you watch out for profit-driven commercial comparison sites as they might not always show you the best power deal.”

Mr Brown has called for the NSW Government to introduce a default offer with a fair, affordable price, and to prevent big energy companies from using “dodgy” discounting practices, including the pay on time discount offers.

Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), which also fights for consumer rights, in its recent report Close to the Edge noted a small decline in the number of people reporting electricity disconnection. 

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About 75 per cent of participants in the PIAC report reported disconnection in the last 12 months in 2018 compared with 77 per cent in 2014 and 78 per cent in 2018.

The NSW Government said its pilot program across five Service NSW Centres showed people who exercised the switching option saved an average of $550 per household with one consumer saving more than $1600 on energy bills. 

CHOICE, which also provides a switching service, CHOICE Transformer, claimed its service saves an average of $600 for consumers who signed with it.