South Australian power bills face $41m tree pruning jolt HOUSEHOLDS face a further $15-a-year increase to the average power bill over the next two years because the state's electricity distributor wants more money to trim trees. Customers already pay an average $15 a year in annual network charges for vegetation clearance, but SA Power Networks - which reported a gross profit of more than $800 million last year - is seeking to double the fee from July 1. In a submission to the national regulator, the state's monopoly distributor - formerly ETSA Utilities - has asked to pass on extra tree pruning costs of $41 million to its customers. It says it needs the money because of the "unexpected increase in vegetation growth rates which followed the unexpected breaking of the `Millennium drought' in mid-2010." But the Country Fire Service says vegetation growth rates are "pretty normal." SA Power Networks says it is only fair that customers bear the increased costs of the clearance. The network was permitted to recover $110 million from customers for the 2010-15 period for vegetation clearance works, but now admits its forecast costings for clearance were wrong. "The rapid growth experienced since the drought broke was not anticipated and has resulted in a doubling of the vegetation clearance needed and a material increase in the costs associated with meeting our legislative and regulatory obligations," an SA Power Networks spokesman said. The interaction of vegetation with powerlines and other electricity infrastructure is a proven cause of bushfire starts and cutting to the regulated clearances minimises the risk of a fire start, as well as reducing vegetation-related power interruptions. The network said that it trimmed more than 70,000 trees in bushfire-risk areas last year - more than double what had been originally budgeted for. But independent watchdog Consumers SA said any costing miscalculations that had been made by the network should be borne by the network. "If they got the initial costings wrong then customers shouldn't pay for the mistake," Consumers SA spokesman David Schomburgk said yesterday. If they made a blue, they should wear it - other businesses don't get away with this. Mr Schomburgk questioned if the costings were overestimated and whether the network would seek to pass on the savings to householders. Gardening expert and 5AA announcer Michael Keelan said the company should review its vegetation clearance practices before putting its hand out for more money at the expense of householders. "What the network does is contract a company to go around to country areas every year and cut down trees under powerlines," Mr Keelan said. But I have had a lot of feedback from people about the way this pruning is done - it is overzealous, dangerous and creates a death knell for trees. Householders definitely should not pay for this policy. With the return to typical climate conditions, the SA Council of Social Service believes the proposed price rise being attributed to clearance costs could apply for years to come. "The anxiety is the increase sought for the next two years could be built into future pricing arrangements," council director Ross Womersley said. CFS manager of fire prevention services Leigh Miller said climate conditions in most of SA had returned to normal after the drought. "So the vegetation growth rate is pretty normal - it's just that we are not used to it," he said. The Australian Energy Regulator will make a decision in May on SA Power Network's application. Any increase would apply for the coming two financial years.