Rising energy charges are a burden for many consumers, says Lifeline Central West executive director Alex Ferguson.

“We are in a high altitude, cold climate and we burn more fuel, gas and electricity to stay warm over eight to nine months of the year,” he said.

“You could easily argue that we are more energy dependant than other places.”

And he is right, according to www.mozo.com.au, which has compared energy costs across the state to confirm people who live west of Lithgow pay more for electricity.

The average annual electricity bill for Orange residents is $1956, and those further west is $2103.

This is compared to an annual cost of $1739 for people living from Lithgow to Parramatta or $1744 for people in Sydney and Newcastle.

However, people in Orange could pay as little as $411 a quarter (an annual saving of $312) if they switched providers.

Mozo said NSW households were being punished with higher electricity bills based on charges dictated by their distributor.

“Living on the right side of an arbitrary energy distribution boundary can mean paying hundreds more each year, and it’s simply luck of the draw,” Mozo director Kirsty Lamont said.

Mr Ferguson said any tool that helped people save money on their energy bills was useful.

“Even if you don’t look at this website it’s still worth looking around for the best deal,” he said.

“The cost of running a family now is huge, you have a couple of extra children and all your utility costs will go up.”

Mozo compares 1100 offers from 22 energy providers across 30 regions.