Confidence our energy supply will last us through the winter

The Electricity Authority's latest assessment of supply security suggests we have sufficient coal, water and gas.

Major Electricity Users' Group chair John Harbord says electricity prices have fallen since recent rainfall.

He says things are also helped by Contact's deal to buy gas supply from heavy-user Methanex.

He says wholesale prices are still much higher than they should be - but we won't see last year's peaks, unless something completely unexpected happens.

Harbord says elevated prices are acting as a handbrake on the economy and impacting households.