Retailer Powershop has analysed the Ministry of Economic Development's quarterly survey of domestic electricity prices for the year to February and calculated the increases average households will have paid.
Otago households have one of the highest increases at 5.3%, or $111.50, while the increase for Dunedin households was more modest at 3.09%, or $53.07.
Anglican Family Care administers the Dunedin City Council Electricity Fund, which provides one-off grants annually to about 800 people who are struggling with their power bills.
Mrs Taylor said there was still a steady demand for grants and the colder weather had not even arrived yet.
Price increases would put more pressure on, she said.
"Electricity is one of the biggest relentless costs our clients face. Price rises are not matched by increases in incomes."
Electricity prices have three components - the price charged by the supplier, the price charged by lines companies and the amount suppliers and lines companies add as their profit margin.
Powershop's analysis showed Dunedin's price increase over the past year was below the national average, Powershop chief executive Ari Sargent said.
Asked why the annual increase had been higher for Otago consumers, he said there was more competition between electricity retailers for customers in Dunedin and other metropolitan areas.
There were fewer customers in rural areas but lines companies still had to provide extensive networks, which added to the cost of supply in rural area, he said. The analysis showed average line charges were almost twice as high for rural Otago customers as for Dunedin customers.
Consumers throughout the country would also face steeper electricity price increases in coming years as Transpower substantially upgraded the national electricity lines network and the wholesale cost of electricity increased, Mr Sargent said.
"Just like state highways undergo major realignment work every few decades, the national grid needs a large-scale upgrade every 20 years or so.
"Right now we're at the peak of that cycle."
Mr Sargent said the best way to keep power costs down was to use less.
But Mrs Taylor said that was not easy to do in Dunedin.
"Dunedin is a colder place and many of our houses are colder and damper too. Dunedin is a place which uses more electricity than other parts of the country, not less. Price rises are going to be tough on people."
