New surveys show a large section of Australian society is struggling to cover power costs. 

An Ernst & Young survey of households (PDF) in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland has shown more than one in 10 people have not been able to pay at least three of their bills in the past 12 months.

Things are even worse for regional households, where 78 per cent of respondents said they were “unable to afford” a bill in the last 12 months.

While some authorities say more cut-cost coal and gas power will help improve the bottom line for families, nine in 10 survey respondents said they had, or were considering, switching to solar energy.

The findings have added some weight to upcoming investigations into electricity network costs.

With up to 60 per cent of household electricity bills being attributed to ‘poles and wires’ costs, the amount passed on to consumers is taking a heavy toll.

Federal Parliament has launched a Senate inquiry into the so-called “gold plated” Australian electricity network, amid claims it artificially drives up the cost of electricity.