Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation of Councils (REROC) has taken advantage of the newly deregulated electricity market. Through an agreement with supplier, Great Southern Energy, the 12 New South Wales Councils anticipate a cost saving of $300,000 in the first year of the contract.
Member Councils, Bland, Urana, Coolamon, Cootamundra, Gundagai, Holbrook, Junee, Lockhart, Temora, Tumbarumba and Tumut Shires and Wagga Wagga City Council, joined with regional businesses to form a bulk electricity purchasing group.
Great Southern Energy won the contract from eight other suppliers. According to REROC Chairman and Wagga Wagga City Councillor, Peter Dale, the close relationships between Councils and businesses in the region facilitated the deal.
“We have long recognised that our close knit regional network can bring together Councils and commercial businesses to obtain the efficiencies enjoyed by major business entities,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer of Great Southern Energy, Brian Burton, said that savings by this buying group demonstrates how Local Government can work together and obtain great savings for their ratepayers.
Great Southern Energy has also commenced $4 million of infrastructure work that will change the face of Wagga Wagga’s CBD through undergrounding of the electricity system. The four year project is part of the package offered by Great Southern Energy in its successful tender for the purchase of Council’s Natural Gas business last year.
“Council has secured this upgrade program at no cost to the people of Wagga Wagga,” Brian Burton said.
Acting General Manager at Wagga Wagga, Tony Elphick, said that Council was extremely pleased with Great Southern Energy’s inclusion of the undergrounding as part of the Natural Gas business package.
In partnership with the Wagga Wagga City Council, Great Southern Energy will perform the electrical relocation and construction work, while Council will provide the road and footpath restoration as part of the refurbishment. This project is in addition to a $10 million upgrade project presently underway by Wagga Wagga City Council.
For further information contact Julie Briggs, Executive Officer REROC, telephone (02) 6931 9050 or Pamela Bell at Great Southern Energy, telephone (02) 4474 1703.
