Transmission agreements

Transpower are required to have contracts with transmission customers for the provision of their services, as per clauses 12.8-12.25 of the Code.

About transmission agreements

Any individual transmission agreement entered into by Transpower and a transmission customer must be either:

  • consistent with the default transmission agreement (clauses 12.27 to 12.34 of the Code); or
  • negotiated between Transpower and the transmission customer and approved by the Electricity Authority.

Schedule 12.1 of the Code identifies designated transmission customers as:

  • distribution companies
  • major users that are directly connected to the grid
  • generation companies that are directly connected to the grid.

Transmission agreements must also be consistent with the grid reliability standards.

Unsigned agreements

If an individual transmission agreement is not signed, a default transmission agreement applies.

Agreement breaches

Transpower will start a process to upgrade assets, or to amend transmission agreements, when a connection asset is not expected to continue to meet the grid reliability standards while a transmission agreement applies.

Disputes

Transpower or transmission customers can refer disputes about transmission agreements, that are not resolved within a reasonable amount of time, to the Rulings panel.