By Lisa Rogers
After the start of power charging in July 2022, the team were back in Pukatja in late August to check-in with households to see how they were adjusting to the changes.
The team prioritised visiting the houses that were using a lot of power and/or those that had disconnected frequently.
A number of Anangu have opted to use Centrepay deductions to pay for their power as it is very easy to set up and manage. The team were there every step of the way helping the household with the process of setting up a Centrepay deduction with Cowell Electric.
We helped a number of households work out how much they were spending on power each fortnight and set up each adult with a smaller Centrepay deduction, so the cost is shared amongst everyone and not just one person’s responsibility.
A few Anangu requested extra education on how to access emergency credit after hours which the team were happy to provide. Cowell Electric do not want Anangu to be without power any time of the day or night. If the power is off and Anangu don’t have any money to top up, they should call Cowell Electric on 1800 485 788 to discuss their situation.
Over the coming weeks, we will be revisiting all communities that have started paying for power and continue to assist Anangu as they adjust to the changes.