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The Electricity Authority is pressing ahead with its plan for big changes to the way people are charged for electricity. And that's expected to mean people living a long way from power plants will have to pay more. The authority says the current system of charging is skewing investment decisions and is becoming increasingly outdated because of rapidly changing technology. Carl Hansen is the authority's chief executive. He tells Guyon Espiner: "The parts of NZ that benefit from transmission upgrades would pay for those in the future." This could mean a small increase in power prices for areas like Auckland & Northland. "What it's really about is getting a lower cost for consumers overall."