Northpower is slamming the Electricity Authority for its proposal to grant an annual increase of nearly 300 dollars in power charges for each of the region's households.

It's one of the options up for public submission on changes to the way transmission costs are charged by national grid operator Transpower, which wants to recover the full cost of its services, including three billion dollars worth of upgrades in the North Island.

Northpower spokesman Steve MacMillan says his company doesn't support any of the proposals and a hike of that magnitude would tip the region's poor communities into fuel poverty.

I think Northland's done it tough economically and socially for a long time and no one wants additional costs in the household or to business.

"It's just not helpful for the region, particularly when it's not justified."

MacMillan said Northpower will submit against the proposals in the strongest terms and urges their customers to follow suit.