Underdog new competitors to electricity selling, Powershop and Pulse Utilities, are revealing the excellent customer increase in the latest statistics on customers changing power corporations from the Electricity Commission.

Whilst the whole of 25,986 switches stuck in May is down on nearly 35,000 switches in March, it is however, 21% higher than the same month last year, and the largest May for switching, since 2001.

PowerShop Chief Executive, Ari Sargent, talking about comparisons on the Powerswitch website said, "Small retailers such as ourselves and Pulse Energy had the highest customer growth in May. Compare these figures with other official data on the companies currently offering the best value prices, and you'll see the same names appear".

Powershop had the biggest increase of any individual vendor, with 1224 new consumers making the switch last month, for overall consumers of 15,478 in May.

According to the same EC statistics, Pulse had 6096 consumers.

Sargent thinks that persons are becoming all the more conscious that it is small sellers, who are presently proffering the finest deal.

Powershop, a subsidiary of Meridian Energy, is separately managed.

However, Sargent cautions power prices will boost and New Zealanders should be watchful regarding searching out the top deal.