​It’s a complicated issue with several contributing factors, from a lack of competition in regional NSW to inconsistent energy policies from state and federal governments, but the bottom line is it’s hurting local businesses.

New England North West NSW Business Chamber manager Joe Townsend said the power bills of most small retailers, such as the ones lining Gunnedah’s main street, would increase by about $5000.

“It might not sound like much, but that’s a fair bit for a small retailer,” Mr Townsend said.

“In relatable terms, that’s one less casual that will get a job this year, a school student that won’t be able to work on weekends because now that business doesn’t have that $5000.

“And that cost can’t be pass on to customers without the risk of losing business. If something was $100 one week, people won’t pay $101 the next just because your electricity bill went up.”

Larger industrial energy consumers have been hit the hardest – Mr Townsend said some businesses have already seen a $40,000 increase.

Namoi Valley Bricks owner Michael Broekman said despite keeping up to date with all the latest energy-efficient technologies, his last power bill was up by 20 per cent “in one hit”.

“That’s without any increase to service charges, just electricity charges,” he said.

“If we put the price of our bricks up by 20 per cent, we’d lose all our business. If it keeps up this way, we’re looking at an extra $20,000 a year.” On Wednesday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull met with energy retailers and took “decisive action” to reduce energy prices by securing an agreement on immediate and ongoing changes.

The commitments include contacting all the customers on expired discounts and telling them how much they can save on a better deal and developing simple fact sheets with understandable comparison rates.