Progressive leader Jim Anderton is proposing government-owned power companies give a $200 rebate to struggling households.
Mr Anderton says low-income households struggle to pay winter power bills and a $200 rebate would make a big difference to their budgets.
He says about half of all households would be eligible and such a scheme would cost about $140 million.
He says that in the six months to the end of 2007 the three publicly owned power companies made profits of about $600 million before having to pay tax, dividends to the Government and depreciation.
