Contact Energy's Good Nights plan offers three hours of free power, every night, between 9pm and midnight.
There are no restrictions on your power usage during this period, meaning you can run your heating, take hot showers, wash some laundry and do any other energy-sucking chores of your choosing.
Good Nights plan: the details
The Good Nights plan is a fixed-rate plan being offered by Contact Energy. It is one of four plans offered by Contact, three of which offer free or discounted off-peak power:
- Basic: simple power rates, no fixed term
- Good Weekends: Free power 9am-5pm every Saturday and Sunday, no fixed term
- Good Nights: Free power 9pm-midnight every night, no fixed term
- Good Charge: Half price power 9pm-7am every night of the week
Some things to consider with the Good Nights plan are:
You'll still pay levies on your free power
The New Zealand Electricity Authority regulates the electricity industry. It charges power companies a levy to cover its costs. Power companies then pass this charge on to you.
So while the power will cost you nothing, you'll still be charged a small fee.
Can you save further by bundling?
Contact also retails gas, broadband and mobile plans, and offers deals for bundling power and telco services, so you might be able to bundle and save even more off your bill.
How to make the most of your free power
While three free hours of power are great, the time you use them can't be changed. This means you have to make your schedule work around the plan, not the other way around. Some great tips for making the most from your free power hours are:
Shift to save
Move as much of your energy use as you can. Keep showers, washing machines and dryers, the dishwasher and heating off until after 9pm.
Keep in mind that the free power does not cover gas. Waiting until 9pm to cook over a gas stove isn't going to save you any cash. Neither is waiting to shower if your water is heated by gas.
An eye on the time
Many household appliances have timers, allowing you to schedule their schedules. Even if you aren't home during these hours, set timers so your appliances don't start until your free power does.
Charge up
If you have electric vehicles and scooters, what better time to give them a charge, so they are ready for you in the morning?
How does the Good Nights plan compare?
Free power is a great bonus and can lead to some serious savings. But before you jump into Contact Energy's plan, it pays to have a look at what other free power deals are out there.
Electric Kiwi's Hour of Power
Electric Kiwi offers its customers one off-peak hour of power per day. This hour is customisable, allowing you to choose any time between 9am-5pm and 9pm-7am. This means you can make your hour of power fit around your schedule, which could be a great option for those who aren't able to make use of the late hours on offer from Contact Energy.
You can also change your designated hour whenever you want, meaning if you have something on that will alter your schedule for the day, you can easily shift your free hour to match!
Powershop's Free Weekends
New customers who sign up with Powershop can opt to receive a free weekend of power each month for a year. So from 12 am Saturday – 11:59pm Sunday, you can get all your energy-sucking chores done for free.
While free power can be a great option for those looking to save on power, it's not all to consider. If you’re paying higher rates on power than everyone else, those free hours start to look less appealing. Beyond just prices and fees it's important to consider how easy the billing process is or the level of customer service offered.
Ultimately, finding affordable power involves shopping around. And to help you find the best value electricity retailer, Canstar rates NZ power companies for customer satisfaction and value for money.
