Energy upgrades cut bills for hundreds of Aboriginal households
Free solar and energy upgrades will help hundreds of Aboriginal households in regional NSW communities cut bills by up to $1,300 a year.
Minister for Energy Matt Kean said the NSW Government partnered with Murdi Paaki Services and Origin Energy on two separate projects to help ease cost of living pressures for 757 Aboriginal households in the bush.
“These projects are cutting electricity bills to help Aboriginal residents from the far west to the Victoria and Queensland borders who are facing increasingly hot summers,” Mr Kean said.
“We’ve installed energy efficient upgrades including rooftop solar, air conditioning and LED lighting for people living in social housing who are vulnerable to energy bill stress.
“It’ll deliver nearly $1 million in total savings while reducing energy usage by about 4.4 gigawatt hours a year.”
The Government invested 40 per cent of the $7.4 million cost of upgrades in the Murdi Paaki region, with Murdi Paaki Services contributing the balance.
“This will make life in these communities easier and more affordable, with households expected to save $1,300 on average per year on bills,” Mr Kean said.
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Ben Franklin said the NSW Government will continue to reduce energy bills across the Western region.
“These important energy efficient upgrades will significantly alleviate cost of living pressures for Aboriginal families, slashing their energy bills for years to come,” Mr Franklin said.
Murdi Paaki chief executive Ken Clarke said the project will make a real difference to the lives of Aboriginal people in 636 homes across 23 communities in western NSW.
“The benefits to our mob will include more comfortable homes with financial benefits through bill savings,” Mr Clarke said.
The State Government’s rooftop solar partnership with Origin Energy will save 121 households in remote NSW facing energy hardship an average of $1,170 a year.
It includes solar upgrades for 48 homes in Dareton and 73 in Toomelah and will deliver total estimated bill savings of more than $140,000 a year.
The Government and Origin Energy contributed $652,000 towards the cost of the systems.
The projects are the final part of the Energy Affordability Package announced in 2017 to help households save on their electricity bills through energy efficient upgrades.
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