Pull the plug on energy retail giants says South Australian Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis Listen into an automated phone call from AGL regarding the late payment of a bill. ENERGY Minister Tom Koutsantonis has urged consumers to save money on their power bills by abandoning the big energy retailers. In an opinion column for today's Advertiser, Mr Koutsantonis writes we are "undoubtedly" paying more than we need to for electricity because many of us don't know what sort of contract we have. AGL still holds a 52 per cent share of the market, even after privatisation and deregulation. Origin Energy has a 17.5 per cent share. Smaller retailers hold a combined 19.5 per cent of the market in South Australia. I want to see that change. There are huge savings on offer from those smaller retailers," he writes. Many people have bought energy-saving light globes, turned down the thermostat and unplugged appliances and still their power bills have risen. That is frustrating for consumers. But there is a solution. And this is how. Change your retailer. My simple message is: If you haven't changed energy retailers in the past two years then you are most likely paying too much for your electricity. He points readers towards the Federal Government's website, energymadeeasy.gov.au, which allows users to contrast and compare deals. PULLED: Changing energy retailer will add competition and force down bills, says Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis. Mr Koutsantonis said an average household could save $800 by switching to a better offer and wanted to see more people take advantage of savings from smaller retailers. He said the Government was also working on energy reforms to slow price rises but that the "first best step" was to find "a better deal." "The power is in your hands," he wrote. Australia's energy market is now in the hands of the Australian Energy Regulator, which released its first annual report yesterday. SWITCH: Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis. It also recommended consumers visit the website to get the best deal. Chairman Andrew Reeves said the regulator's reforms would ensure "consumers pay no more than necessary for reliable energy networks." "Rising prices are a real concern to energy consumers," he said. The Advertiser revealed last month that increasing numbers of South Australians are having their power cut off because they cannot afford to pay their bills, with ageing infrastructure and extreme peaks in demand often blamed. AER has allowed some extra costs, such as an extra $30 next year for tree pruning, to be passed on to customers. Welfare groups note that while extra costs are always passed on, savings rarely are. The new Federal Government has pledged that it will ensure any price cuts will be passed on to customers by beefing up the powers of the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission. The Coalition is already working on legislation to scrap carbon pricing, which it says will cut power prices by about 10 per cent. In Adelaide just before the election, Prime Minister Tony Abbott promised $16 million for the ACCC to police energy prices. "When the carbon tax comes off, prices should come down," he said.