REGIONAL residents and businesses can expect a rise in electricity bills as part of the state government recouping a $6m deficit through the state’s energy regulator.

Industry levy increases are expected to flow through to consumers at an average increase of 44.8 per cent or $5.30 per household.

A ministerial brief obtained by the opposition from Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) under Freedom of Information said the Minister for Energy and Resources approved the increase, which will raise $14.6m.

The Nationals’ Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland said the state government had "financially mismanaged" ESV and said the levies were a taxpayer-funded bail out.

Ms Cleeland said energy bill increases were being felt heavily in regional towns and were higher than those in greater Melbourne.

The default tariff for AusNet, which services mostly regional areas in the east of Victoria, was $1902 for residential households and $4388 for businesses.

The metropolitan CitiPower tariff was $1456 for residential customers and $3025 for businesses.

“Rising electricity bills are disproportionately impacting regional Victoria, despite regularly suffering with power outages and unreliable power,” Ms Cleeland said.

“My office is contacted every week by people concerned about the impact these rising taxes, rates, and bills will have on their ability to live their lives or continue operating their businesses.

“Our towns are crying out for some relief.”