Power company Meridian said it would ramp up a programme aimed at helping people who face energy hardship after a successful pilot covering 140 households was conducted last year.

Chief executive Neal Barclay said a pilot scheme offered targeted support such as providing curtains and improving insulation for those facing energy poverty.

“We have made a difference for these people,” Barclay told the Herald after this week’s first half result from the company.

“We have seen that their ability to get out of debt has been almost across the board,” he said.

“The human story has been quite heartening so the board has signed off on increasing the size of the project to reach out to thousands of our customers who are suffering from energy hardship at the moment,” he added.

“Our team is enthused by the tangible difference we’ve been able to make for Kiwi families who are struggling,” the company said.

 “And working with Government and other social agencies, we believe we can reach up to 5,000 customers with targeted support to do our part to help keep their homes warm and dry in winter,” it said.

Meridian, 51 per cent owned by the Government, runs hydro, wind and solar power generating assets.