Tasmanian power price rises to be examined

A Legislative Council committee recently resolved to inquire into energy prices with a particular focus on the factors that impacted energy prices for Tasmanian households and businesses as well as energy generation, distribution and retail costs.

It will examine opportunities and challenges for power generation and transmission infrastructure in Tasmania.

Submissions can be made to the committee up until October 13.

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Inquiry chairwoman Ruth Forrest said energy prices formed a significant part of cost of living pressures.

"This important inquiry seeks to better understand the factors that impact energy prices and consider how best Tasmanian consumers can be informed of these factors," she said.

Pembroke Labor MLC Luke Edmunds campaigned heavily on the need for a power price inquiry in last year's Pembroke by-election.

"This is a genuine attempt to get to the bottom of massive pressure point for household budgets," he said on Monday.

"People's power bills are going up, people want to know why."

Mr Edmunds said he expected Labor's power price cap policy would be raised in submissions to the committee as well as the Marinus Link project.

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Government minister Michael Ferguson said he did not see the need for such an inquiry.

He said the government would continue to put downward pressure on future energy rises through support for pensioners and low-income families.

"We'll continue to implement policies that grow investment and push down the wholesale price of energy," Mr Ferguson said.

TasCOSS chief executive Adrienne Picone said the announcement of an inquiry was good news for households.

"Since 1 July 2022, electricity prices in Tasmania have increased 22.5 per cent, far exceeding the increase in the Consumer Price Index and wages growth over the same period, which have risen by 5.5 per cent and 3.9 per cent respectively," she said.

"We look forward to the inquiry reporting on the benefits to Tasmanian customers of a cap on electricity prices in 2018 and why the government has retained the ability to reintroduce a price cap to protect consumers from price hikes, but has not done so."

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