TLC Winter Discount benefit for WESCT Beneficiaries

2 May 2025

The latest payments of TLC Discounts are being distributed to Waitomo Energy Services Customer Trust (WESCT) beneficiaries as a credit on their electricity retailer account, with a total of $2.4M being allocated this round.

This payment is part of the $6.0M (including GST) shared across WESCT beneficiaries in the northern part of TLC’s network region for the 2025 financial year ending March 2025.

TLC Chief Executive Mike Fox says it is a timely payment as winter sets in and temperatures drop.

“We know many of our customers find it challenging to heat their homes during winter and this is one way we can help to support WESCT beneficiaries during winter.

“We’re also rolling out another series of energy education seminars across the network, specifically designed to help customers be more energy efficient – and in the process save money.”

The payment ends a busy financial year for TLC as it focuses on significant network upgrades, improving the network for the future and providing community benefit for the region.

“We’ve invested around $22M in network improvements over the past year,” said Fox.

“At TLC however, it’s not just about delivering reliable and efficient electricity to our customers,” he continued. “We’ve also heavily invested $2M over the past four years in providing a range of partnership, sponsorship, training, and scholarship programmes to community organisations and local individuals.

“Electricity is necessary for just about everything and our business is key to helping the region thrive.”

While TLC’s network operates throughout the greater King Country, Ruapehu and Central Plateau – it’s those in the northern part of its network area, WESCT beneficiaries, who are shareholders of the business.

WESCT chair William Oliver said the discount, community grants and wider sponsorship programme showed the benefit of TLC being community-owned. WESCT strongly advocates for the discount to be paid each year which means profits from the company stay in the King Country “where they belonged,” he said.

“Being locally owned means the assets TLC builds today benefit beneficiaries not only today, but generations to come. WESCT supports TLC adding value across the King County, including the Maru Energy Trust and through its community funding programme

“Over the past four years, $20.4 million dollars has been distributed in discounts to our beneficiaries,” said Oliver.

Beneficiaries can expect their TLC Discount to appear as a line item on their electricity retail bill in May or June, depending on billing cycle. The discount is based on the price plan you are on and your electricity charges between 1 November 2024 and 31 March 2025.

The next TLC Discount will be processed in December this year, for the period 1 April through to 31 October 2025.