Security and Reliability Council
The Security and Reliability Council provides us with independent advice on reliability of supply issues, the performance of the electricity system and the system operator.
On this page —
Role
Under section 20(2) of the Electricity Industry Act 2010, the function of the Security and Reliability Council (SRC) is to provide independent advice to the Electricity Authority on:
- the performance of the electricity system and the system operator; and
- reliability of supply issues.
The SRC fulfils its function by providing us with advice on:
- the system operator’s performance, including against its principal performance obligations, security of supply function and any other function of the system operator important to the performance of the electricity system and/or to reliability of supply
- system operations issues, including industry development needs and priorities relating to system operations
- security of supply issues, including system security assessments and security of supply forecasts
- reliability of supply issues, including planned and unplanned loss of supply and quality of supply issues
- any other matters that the Electricity Authority considers to be within the function of the SRC as set out in the Act.
Meeting papers
Here is a summary of SRC meetings, the papers considered and meeting minutes. Meeting minutes are published once they have been approved at a subsequent meeting.
26 October 2023
At this meeting the SRC received presentations from InPhySec, Transpower EMS, NZX, Jade, Mercury and the Electricity Authority, as part of its theme of market operations service providers’ approach to information and technology security.
The SRC reviewed the system operator’s annual self-review and considered the indicative Authority review. The SRC received results of a confidential cyber threat survey, which will not be published.
16 August 2023
At this meeting, the SRC received presentations from Transpower, the Electricity Engineer’s Association, the Business Energy Council, the Young Energy Professionals Network, the Power Engineering Excellence Trust and the University of Auckland, as part of its theme of workforce management.
The SRC held its annual strategy session.
1 June 2023
At this meeting, the SRC received presentations from the grid owner, regarding Cyclone Gabrielle, the Electricity Networks Aotearoa, the Electricity Engineer’s Association, the Northern Energy Group, the Electricity Retailers’ Association, and the Major Electricity Users Group, as part of its theme of the role of industry associations in supporting a secure and reliable electricity supply.
The SRC received a presentation from the Consumer Advocacy Council on its priorities and considered the system operator’s annual security of supply assessment.
16 March 2023
At this meeting, the SRC received presentations from the Electricity Authority, Transpower, as the system operator and Octopus Energy, Contact Energy, Simply Energy, Fonterra and Wellington Electricity, as part of its theme of Demand Response.
26 October 2022
At this meeting, the SRC received presentations from the Electricity Authority, the Commerce Commission, and Transpower, as the grid owner, as part of its theme of Transmission.
The SRC also received the system operator’s annual self-review of performance and a presentation from the Electricity Authority on wind monitoring and forecasting.
10 August 2022
At this meeting, the SRC received presentations from the Climate Change Commission on their role in the sector, MBIE on the Aotearoa New Zealand Energy Strategy, and Te Waihanga, the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission on their role in the sector, as part of its theme of Climate Change.
The SRC held their annual strategy session.
1 June 2022
At this meeting, the SRC received presentations from the Commerce Commission, MartinJenkins and the grid owner on their approach to asset management and risk.
Aurora Energy presented a case study on recent experiences with their customised price-quality pathway and the system operator shared feedback and learnings from their security of supply information industry forums.
The Electricity Authority’s strategy team gave an update on the Future Security and Resilience workstreams.
2 March 2022
At this meeting, the SRC received presentations from the National Emergency Management Agency, the system operator and MartinJenkins, as part of its theme of emergency preparedness.
The SRC discussed several cyber security topics (which are confidential and will not be published).
The SRC received presentations from the Electricity Authority and Transpower on communications plans in a supply emergency and discussed consumer demand and the Authority’s system leadership workstreams.
21 October 2021
At this meeting, the SRC received presentations from Enerlytica, the Gas Industry Co, and gas participants, as part of its theme of gas reliability and resilience.
The SRC received an update on the Dry Year Event review, the Future Security and Resilience Project workstreams and the system operator’s security of supply annual assessment and self-review of performance.
4 August 2021
The SRC met and held its annual strategy session, discussed the scope and terms of reference for the Dry Year review and discussed a range of papers, as part of its theme of understanding consumers.
27 May 2021
At this meeting, the SRC received updates on the security of supply situation, considered the scope of next meeting’s substantive papers, and considered the fitness for purpose of regulation and monitoring.
25 February 2021
The SRC met and discussed the management of short-term risk (including credible events and ancillary services).
The SRC received information on the Electricity Authority’s project to examine the security and resilience of the electricity sector, the Authority’s annual review of the system operator’s performance, and the separation between Transpower services.
Members
The SRC is made up of representatives appointed by the Electricity Authority to represent a broad array of expertise in the electricity industry.
Hon. Heather Roy
Chair - Independent Chair of Utilities Disputes Ltd
Hon. Heather Roy
Chair - Independent Chair of Utilities Disputes Ltd
Hon. Heather Roy is a professional director and business consultant. She chairs and sits on several boards including being Independent Chair of Utilities Disputes Ltd. She is director and principal of her Business Consultancy, TorquePoint.
Heather was a Member of Parliament from 2002-2011 and was Minister of Consumer Affairs from 2008-10.
She is a member of the Institute of Directors and winner of the Women on Boards ‘Inspirational Excellence Award’ 2017.
André Botha
Chief Engineer, Vector
André Botha
Chief Engineer, Vector
André is one of New Zealand’s most experienced energy network engineers. As Vector’s Chief Engineer, he oversees Vector’s future network roadmap. Core to his role is driving implementation of Vector’s strategy to navigate the convergence of traditional network assets with new technology and digital solutions, designed to deliver affordable, reliable, safe, and resilient outcomes for customers. André’s ability to span ‘the old and new’ worlds of the energy sector and to provide customer centric engineering advice, means his expertise is highly valuable.
Prior to joining Vector in 2014, André held technical and executive leadership roles in a range of large energy businesses across South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. He brings more than 30 years’ experience in distribution and transmission across both electricity and gas.
André holds a B.Eng (Electrical) and a M.Eng (Electrical and Electronic) from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and a PGDipBus (Finance) from the University of Auckland.
Paula Checketts
Chief Financial Officer, New Zealand Aluminium Smelters
Paula Checketts
Chief Financial Officer, New Zealand Aluminium Smelters
Paula Checketts is a qualified Chartered Accountant, Chartered Secretary and Director with over 25 years of experience in accounting and commercial services, in both chartered accountancy practice and the aluminium industry.
During Paula's career at New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited (NZAS), she has led the finance and commercial functions incorporating Finance, Business Analysis, Energy, Human Resources, Health Safety and Environment, Procurement and Business Improvement.
Her governance roles include company secretary for NZAS and directorship on Pacific Aluminium (NZ) Limited, subsidiary of Rio Tinto Aluminium, Electric Power Generation Limited and NZAS Retirement Fund Trustee Limited.
Barbara Elliston
Director, Elliston Power Consultants Ltd
Barbara Elliston
Director, Elliston Power Consultants Ltd
Barbara Elliston is a Director of Elliston Power Consultants Ltd, Counties Power Limited and Easy Warm Ltd, as well as being on the Board of the Australian Solar Council.
Barbara's previous roles include directorships with Genesis Energy and Transpower, as well as directorship and management with Comalco New Zealand Ltd.
Her background includes corporate governance, strategic development and distributed generation - photovoltaics.
Barbara earned a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) with honours from the University of Auckland.
Chris Ewers
General Manager Wholesale, Meridian Energy
Chris Ewers
General Manager Wholesale, Meridian Energy
Chris Ewers is responsible for leading Meridian's wholesale, planning and generation control functions. He's also a member of the Electricity Engineers Association Executive.
Chris has worked all of his career in the electricity supply industry and brings a well-rounded set of experience and knowledge. He spent 26 years working in a wide range of operational roles, including generation control, financial and spot trading, transmission connection and coordination, outage management, governance, policy, various industry working and advisory groups, and process safety.
Prior to this, Chris worked for the Electricity Corporation of New Zealand at various thermal and hydro assets around the country.
While undertaking his BE (Hons) at the University of Canterbury, he worked summers at the Tasman Electric Power Board in a wide range of roles, including transformer refurbishment and network planning.
Karen Frew
General Manager, Electricity Powerco
Karen Frew
General Manager, Electricity Powerco
Karen Frew leads the Electricity Powerco team that is responsible for planning, designing, constructing, maintaining and operating their network 24/7.
Karen has an electrical engineering degree and a diploma in management. She’s a chartered engineer with over 25 years’ experience in electricity generation, distribution and large industrial sectors in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
She has held leadership roles in Powerco across engineering, asset management, strategy, system project delivery, regulation, and service delivery and operations.
Karen was appointed to the Security and Reliability Council for a three-year term from 1 April 2024.
Ben Gerritsen
General Manager Customer and Regulation, Firstgas
Ben Gerritsen
General Manager Customer and Regulation, Firstgas
Ben Gerritsen leads the commercial management of Firstgas Group’s regulated gas and electricity networks, and has responsibility for policy and regulatory engagement, marketing, and external communications.
Ben is on the Board of GasNZ and the Bioenergy Association of New Zealand.
Ben has undergraduate degrees in law and economics and holds a Masters’ degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
Phil Gibson
General Manager Portfolio, Mercury Energy
Phil Gibson
General Manager Portfolio, Mercury Energy
Phil Gibson is responsible for managing Mercury’s fuel portfolio, generation development, portfolio strategy, wholesale market activities and sales to large commercial and industrial customers.
Phil joined Mercury in 2004 and has held a number of roles across the business, including General Manager Hydro & Wholesale, Wholesale Markets Manager and Head of Technology & Innovation in Consumer Markets.
Prior to joining the electricity industry, Phil spent six years in structural engineering roles in Auckland, Wellington and London.
Rebecca Larking
Independent member
Rebecca Larking
Independent member
Rebecca Larking used to be Chief Operations Officer at Genesis Energy, leading Genesis’ Generation and LPG Operations, Generation Development and Safety and Wellbeing. She has led Digital Transformation, Customer Operations, SME and Commercial and Industrial Customer engagement and partnerships in energy management and energy supply (LPG, Natural Gas and Electricity), with accountabilities for EBITDAF and delivery of products to market.
Rebecca is an experienced and holistic senior leader with 23 years’ experience across Iwi, community and partner engagement, strategy development and implementation, operations and infrastructure management, the electricity market, and environmental and water management.
Allan Miller
Director, Allan Miller Consulting and Co-founder and Director, ANSA®
Allan Miller
Director, Allan Miller Consulting and Co-founder and Director, ANSA®
Allan Miller is an executive Director of ANSA®, providing modelling and network planning insights for the growing connection of distributed energy resources, such as photovoltaic solar and electric vehicles, to low voltage distribution networks. ANSA® also models solar farms and commercial solar and industrial decarbonisation.
Allan's experience includes leadership and technical roles in the electricity and international high-tech industries. He was Director of the Electric Power Engineering Centre, University of Canterbury, from 2011 to 2017, where he established and led the GREEN Grid research programme. GREEN Grid research investigated the integration of distributed energy resources into low voltage distribution networks, and the integration of more variable renewable energy into the electricity system. During and after this time he was also a consulting engineer, providing independent expert advice to the electricity and technology industries.
Prior to that Allan was a Product Manager, followed by Managing Director, of Allied Telesis Labs Ltd, a product development centre for the Japanese computer networking company Allied Telesis. He has worked as a hardware and software engineer, as an analyst for Transpower during the establishment of the wholesale electricity market, and Western Power in Perth, Western Australia, where he led a demand response programme.
Allan holds a Ph.D. and B.E. Hons in electrical and electronic engineering.
