Mr Piper says he has "serious doubts about IPART's so called independent nature" as the consumer safety valve controlling gas, electricity and water prices.

Mr Piper last week expressed grave concerns over the rationale behind the IPART-agreed and foreshadowed $400 a year per household hike in electricity imposed by the NSW Government.

"IPART is supposedly an independent authority, but it has only one client the NSW Government," Mr Piper said.

"Media reports last week showed that a draft IPART report projects 60 per cent electricity price rises over the next four years, with half of this increase being the cost of an emissions trading scheme [ETS].

"Half of the foreshadowed increases are attributed to the proposed ETS even though it has not been approved by the senate and, increasingly, it is unlikely to be approved in the near future."

Mr Piper revealed that the Auditor-General's Report to Parliament 2009 (Vol3 p6) shows a 6.7 per cent decrease in the wholesale price of power in NSW last year, and Mr Piper is also questioning the $400 electricity zap in light of that figure.

"I suspect that these IPART increases have little to do with higher production or distribution costs and much to do with pumping up the profits and the subsequent sale price of the Government's electricity retailers," Mr Piper said.

"IPART has already given Hunter ratepayers a massive and questionable increase in their water rates earlier this year. I question their [IPART's] method and their motive."