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Electricity Authority

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What does the Electricity Authority do?

We regulate New Zealand’s electricity market.

What is electricity?

Electricity is created when electrons flow through a conducting material, such as the copper or aluminium used in power lines.

How does electricity get to my house?

What are smart meters?

Electricity meters keep track of how much power you are using. There are either analogue or smart meters.

  • Does my meter need to be recertified?

What are my rights as an electricity consumer?

You need to sign a contract with the electricity retailer you've chosen. This contract protects you and your rights. It’s important to read and understand the terms and conditions.

  • What are my rights as a medically dependent consumer?
  • What are my rights around disconnections?
  • What happens if the hydro lakes are low?

I want to make a complaint

How do I switch electricity companies

New Zealand has one of the fastest switching times in the world.

  • What happens if my retailer goes out of business?
  • Will switching affect the reliability of my electricity?
  • Will I still get my local energy trust rebate if I switch electricity retailer?

How do I generate my own electricity?

Innovations in the electricity sector are providing new ways to generate, store and even sell electricity through technology such as solar panels, small wind turbines, and batteries.

  • What do I need to know about solar panels?

Your power data in your hands

We have made it easy for you to access information about your power.

  • My usage
  • My meter
  • My plan

My power bill

Your bill shows how much power you have used and how much you need to pay.

  • Is my electricity bill too high?
  • Why is my electricity bill higher in winter?
  • Is a spot price contract right for me?
  • Jargon Buster

Why we work on developing the electricity market

Our market development work is important to achieving our statutory objective to promote competition in, reliable supply by and the efficient operation of the electricity industry for the long-term benefit of consumers.

Our work programme

  • Evolving technologies and business models
  • Consumer choice and competition
  • Pricing and cost allocation
  • Risk and risk management
  • Operational efficiencies

Advisory and technical groups

A number of different groups provide us with specialist independent and technical advice and recommendations.

  • Innovation and Participation Advisory Group (IPAG)
  • Market Development Advisory Group (MDAG)
  • Retail Advisory Group (RAG)
  • Wholesale Advisory Group (WAG)
  • Security and Reliability Council (SRC)
  • Standing Data Formats Group (SDFG)
  • Settlement and Prudential Security Technical Group (SPSTG)
  • Disestablished groups
  • Switch Technical Group (STG)

Market performance and analysis

We monitor the electricity industry for competitiveness, efficiency and reliability to see if any improvements can be made for the long-term benefit of consumers.

  • Why we monitor market performance
  • What we monitor in the industry and market

EMI

Our electricity market information (EMI) website has a wide range of performance metrics, analytical tools and data available to view or download, for example, retailer market share, monthly switching reports, wholesale final pricing and much more.

Year in review

Each year, we provide a summary of how the market performed.

  • Electricity Market Performance 2015
  • 2014 review of electricity market performance
  • 2013 review of electricity market performance
  • 2012 review of electricity market performance
  • 2011 review of electricity market performance

Enquiries, reviews and investigations

If an anomalous event or outcome occurs in the market or the broader electricity sector, we investigate it to determine the causes and whether something can or should be done to prevent such an event or outcome from occurring again.

  • Our three-stage process
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
  • 2010

Residential electricity market performance

  • How the residential electricity market performed in 2015
  • Empowering decisions – Residential electricity market performance 2014

Wholesale market

We develop policy, code provisions and systems for the buying and selling of wholesale electricity and for managing security of supply.

  • Spot pricing
  • Hedge market
  • Security of supply
  • Information disclosure

Transmission

We determine transmission pricing policy and grid reliability standards.

  • Transmission system
  • Transmission agreements
  • Transmission pricing
  • Grid management
  • Grid reliability standards

Distribution

We oversee distributors' interactions with other industry participants and the parts of their operation that have obligations under the Code.

  • Distributors
  • Distribution pricing
  • Losses
  • Distributed generation

Retail market

We oversee the processes that deal with accuracy of metering, meter reading and customer switching between retailers - including ways to minimise entry barriers to new retailers.

  • Retailers
  • Metering
  • Electricity information exchange protocols (EIEPs)
  • The registry
  • Audits, approvals and certification
  • Reconciliation

Industry participants

Participants in the electricity industry must register with us and be listed on the industry participant register.

  • Participant register
  • How to register as a participant
  • Participant identifiers
  • Participant events and education

Market operation service providers

We contract a range of market operation service providers to operate the electricity markets.

  • Clearing manager
  • Extended reserve manager
  • FTR manager
  • Pricing manager
  • Reconciliation manager
  • Registry manager
  • System operator
  • WITS manager

Consumer services

  • Provide a service with electricity data

Act and Regulations

The Electricity Industry Act 2010 allows us to amend the Code and sets out the process we must follow.

  • How the Act, Code and Regulations fit together
  • Part 3 of the Act
  • Regulations

The Code

The Code sets out industry participant responsibilities, including our own duties and responsibilities.

  • Documents incorporated into the Code by reference
  • Historical versions of the Code
  • Amendments
  • Code exemptions
  • How the Code maps to the Electricity Governance Rules
  • Approved Systems Document

Undesirable trading situation (UTS)

In the electricity market, a UTS is an extraordinary event that has threatened the integrity of the wholesale market.

  • What is an undesirable trading situation?
  • How to make a claim
  • UTS claims and decisions

Compliance

We're responsible for ensuring industry participants comply with the Regulations and the Code.

  • About compliance
  • Compliance monitoring
  • Compliance education and information
  • Compliance framework
  • Compliance database
  • How to allege a breach
  • Code breach process
  • Current investigations
  • Decisions
  • Enforcement policy
  • Prosecution policy
  • Breach statistics and analysis

Rulings Panel

The Rulings Panel assists in the enforcement of the Code by dealing with complaints, appeals and disputes under the Code.

  • Members of the Rulings Panel
  • Current cases
  • Decisions
  • Rulings Panel procedures
  • Rulings Panel performance objectives and reports

Who we are

The Electricity Authority is an independent Crown entity responsible for the efficient operation of the New Zealand electricity market. We are the electricity market regulator.

  • Board members
  • Chief Executive
  • Management team
  • Responsible Minister

What we do

We promote competition in, reliable supply by, and the efficient operation of, the electricity industry for the long-term benefit of consumers.

  • Our role in the electricity industry
  • How we are funded
  • Vision, values, mission
  • History of government involvement in electricity
  • What's My Number

Strategic planning and reporting

Documents with key strategic statements as to how the Authority will approach its decision making.

  • Statement of Intent
  • Statement of Performance Expectations
  • The Authority Work Programme
  • Annual Report
  • Year in review
  • Foundation documents
  • Memoranda of understanding

Media & publications

  • Speeches and presentations
  • Media releases
  • Market Brief
  • Market Commentary
  • Electricity in New Zealand
  • Official Information Act

Careers

  • Why work for us?
  • What it's like to work here
  • Our vision and values
  • Our successes
  • Current vacancies

Contact us

Contact details for the Electricity Authority

Planning, reporting & corporate projects

  • 2018/19 planning and reporting

The Electricity Authority promotes competition in, reliable supply by, and the efficient operation of, the New Zealand electricity industry for the long-term benefit of consumers.

Market Brief Logo Market Brief - 16 January 2018 Market Brief EMI Logo Market statistics and tools Market statistics
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  • Home
  • Consumers
    • What does the Electricity Authority do?
    • What is electricity?
    • How does electricity get to my house?
    • What are smart meters?
      • Back
      • What are smart meters?
      • Does my meter need to be recertified?
    • What are my rights as an electricity consumer?
      • Back
      • What are my rights as an electricity consumer?
      • What are my rights as a medically dependent consumer?
      • What are my rights around disconnections?
      • What happens if the hydro lakes are low?
    • I want to make a complaint
    • How do I switch electricity companies
      • Back
      • How do I switch electricity companies
      • What happens if my retailer goes out of business?
      • Will switching affect the reliability of my electricity?
      • Will I still get my local energy trust rebate if I switch electricity retailer?
    • How do I generate my own electricity?
      • Back
      • How do I generate my own electricity?
      • What do I need to know about solar panels?
    • Your power data in your hands
      • Back
      • Your power data in your hands
      • My usage
      • My meter
      • My plan
    • My power bill
      • Back
      • My power bill
      • Is my electricity bill too high?
      • Why is my electricity bill higher in winter?
      • Is a spot price contract right for me?
      • Jargon Buster
  • Development
    • Why we work on developing the electricity market
    • Our work programme
      • Back
      • Our work programme
      • Evolving technologies and business models
      • Consumer choice and competition
      • Pricing and cost allocation
      • Risk and risk management
      • Operational efficiencies
    • Advisory and technical groups
      • Back
      • Advisory and technical groups
      • Innovation and Participation Advisory Group (IPAG)
      • Market Development Advisory Group (MDAG)
      • Retail Advisory Group (RAG)
      • Wholesale Advisory Group (WAG)
      • Security and Reliability Council (SRC)
      • Standing Data Formats Group (SDFG)
      • Settlement and Prudential Security Technical Group (SPSTG)
      • Disestablished groups
      • Switch Technical Group (STG)
  • Monitoring
    • Market performance and analysis
      • Back
      • Market performance and analysis
      • Why we monitor market performance
      • What we monitor in the industry and market
    • EMI
    • Year in review
      • Back
      • Year in review
      • Electricity Market Performance 2015
      • 2014 review of electricity market performance
      • 2013 review of electricity market performance
      • 2012 review of electricity market performance
      • 2011 review of electricity market performance
    • Enquiries, reviews and investigations
      • Back
      • Enquiries, reviews and investigations
      • Our three-stage process
      • 2017
      • 2016
      • 2015
      • 2014
      • 2013
      • 2012
      • 2011
      • 2010
    • Residential electricity market performance
      • Back
      • Residential electricity market performance
      • How the residential electricity market performed in 2015
      • Empowering decisions – Residential electricity market performance 2014
  • Operations
    • Wholesale market
      • Back
      • Wholesale market
      • Spot pricing
      • Hedge market
      • Security of supply
      • Information disclosure
    • Transmission
      • Back
      • Transmission
      • Transmission system
      • Transmission agreements
      • Transmission pricing
      • Grid management
      • Grid reliability standards
    • Distribution
      • Back
      • Distribution
      • Distributors
      • Distribution pricing
      • Losses
      • Distributed generation
    • Retail market
      • Back
      • Retail market
      • Retailers
      • Metering
      • Electricity information exchange protocols (EIEPs)
      • The registry
      • Audits, approvals and certification
      • Reconciliation
    • Industry participants
      • Back
      • Industry participants
      • Participant register
      • How to register as a participant
      • Participant identifiers
      • Participant events and education
    • Market operation service providers
      • Back
      • Market operation service providers
      • Clearing manager
      • Extended reserve manager
      • FTR manager
      • Pricing manager
      • Reconciliation manager
      • Registry manager
      • System operator
      • WITS manager
    • Consumer services
      • Back
      • Consumer services
      • Provide a service with electricity data
  • Code & Compliance
    • Act and Regulations
      • Back
      • Act and Regulations
      • How the Act, Code and Regulations fit together
      • Part 3 of the Act
      • Regulations
    • The Code
      • Back
      • The Code
      • Documents incorporated into the Code by reference
      • Historical versions of the Code
      • Amendments
      • Code exemptions
      • How the Code maps to the Electricity Governance Rules
      • Approved Systems Document
    • Undesirable trading situation (UTS)
      • Back
      • Undesirable trading situation (UTS)
      • What is an undesirable trading situation?
      • How to make a claim
      • UTS claims and decisions
    • Compliance
      • Back
      • Compliance
      • About compliance
      • Compliance monitoring
      • Compliance education and information
      • Compliance framework
      • Compliance database
      • How to allege a breach
      • Code breach process
      • Current investigations
      • Decisions
      • Enforcement policy
      • Prosecution policy
      • Breach statistics and analysis
    • Rulings Panel
      • Back
      • Rulings Panel
      • Members of the Rulings Panel
      • Current cases
      • Decisions
      • Rulings Panel procedures
      • Rulings Panel performance objectives and reports
  • About Us
    • Who we are
      • Back
      • Who we are
      • Board members
      • Chief Executive
      • Management team
      • Responsible Minister
    • What we do
      • Back
      • What we do
      • Our role in the electricity industry
      • How we are funded
      • Vision, values, mission
      • History of government involvement in electricity
      • What's My Number
    • Strategic planning and reporting
      • Back
      • Strategic planning and reporting
      • Statement of Intent
      • Statement of Performance Expectations
      • The Authority Work Programme
      • Annual Report
      • Year in review
      • Foundation documents
      • Memoranda of understanding
    • Media & publications
      • Back
      • Media & publications
      • Speeches and presentations
      • Media releases
      • Market Brief
      • Market Commentary
      • Electricity in New Zealand
      • Official Information Act
    • Careers
      • Back
      • Careers
      • Why work for us?
      • What it's like to work here
      • Our vision and values
      • Our successes
      • Current vacancies
    • Contact us
    • Planning, reporting & corporate projects
      • Back
      • Planning, reporting & corporate projects
      • 2018/19 planning and reporting
Market Brief Logo Market Brief - 16 January 2018 Market Brief EMI Logo Market statistics and tools Market statistics

News

16 Jan

Code Review Programme 2018

Consultation published and open for submissions until 6 March 2018.

16 Jan

Training course for registry users - 21-22 March 2018

We are running a hands-on training course for registry users on 21–22 March 2018 in Wellington (9.30am–4.30pm on 21 March and 9am–4.30pm on 22 March).

16 Jan

Distributed Unmetered Load audits

Memo to reconciliation participants about submission of distributed unmetered load (DUML) audits published.

12 Jan

Part 10 - Metering

Changes to part 10 came into force.

11 Jan

Gazette Notice

Electricity Industry Participation Code Amendment (Amendments to Certification Reports) 2017. Published Gazette-Notice EIPCA Amendments to Certificati...

14 Dec

Hedge market breaks record

The total value at risk on the ASX NZ futures and options market has reached record levels. At the end of November, ‘open interest’ in ASX contracts r...

13 Dec

Market Commentary - Customisable market insights

The Electricity Authority’s latest iteration of the powerful Electricity Market Information (EMI) website offers users easy-to-navigate and customisab...

12 Dec

Work programme report for the year to 31 October 2017

We have published our work programme report for the period covering 1 July to 31 October 2017.

12 Dec

STG membership

The Authority is calling for nominations for retailer and metering equipment provider members of the Switch Technical Group (STG).

12 Dec

SRC membership

We are calling for nominations for three members of the Security and Reliability Council (SRC).

12 Dec

Final determinations of who caused the 11 and 15 June 2017 under-frequency events

Final determination published.

12 Dec

Final determinations of who caused the 2 March 2017 under-frequency events

Final determination published.

07 Dec

Briefing to the Incoming Minister - October 2017

This section includes information about the Authority’s relationship with its Minister. The Authority is an Independent Crown Entity but is still acco...

05 Dec

Consultation on proposed list of distributed generation eligible to qualify to receive ACOT, lower South Island published

We are seeking views on the proposed list of distributed generation in the lower South Island that would be eligible under the regulated terms in Part...

05 Dec

Issues and options paper on treatment of prudential offsets in the wholesale market

4 submissions published.

01 Dec

Media release - New tech powers up across NZ

More than 15,000 homes are generating their own electricity across New Zealand as consumers make the most of disruptive technology.

Trending

Trending Pages

My meter

Updated: 1st November 2016

Why is my electricity bill higher in winter?

Updated: 20th November 2017

What are smart meters?

Updated: 5th May 2016

What's My Number

Updated: 19th September 2017

The Code

Updated: 15th January 2018

Trending Documents

Electricity in New Zealand PDF 1.7 MB

Participant Register XLS 876 KB

2017/18 Work Programme PDF 794 KB

The Code - 6 November 2017 PDF 8.5 MB

List of participant identifiers - December 2017 XLS 69 KB

The Code

Download entire Code 8.5 MB Version: 12th January 2018

2016 Code amendments

2017 Code amendments

Documents incorporated into the Code by reference

Historical versions of the Code

Current consultations

List of distributed generation eligible to qualify to receive ACOT, lower South Island

Closes: 30 Jan 2018

Multiple Trading Relationships

Closes: 27 Feb 2018

Code Review Programme 2018

Closes: 06 Mar 2018

Your electricity explained

Your electricity explained

  • What do I need to know about solar panels?
  • How does electricity get to my house?
  • What are smart meters?
  • How do I switch electricity companies?
  • Who can help me with my complaint?

Contact Us

EMAIL: info@ea.govt.nz

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