Amended Code exemption for more local generation

The Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko has approved an amendment to an existing Electricity Industry Participation Code 2010 exemption for WEL and NewPower to support more local generation.

The change, approved on 17 November 2025, will add 8.23MW of capacity to the existing exemption from specific arm’s length rules.

The updated exemption covers a 5MW battery energy storage system, a 2.4MW solar opportunity, and a 700kW and 220kW rooftop solar system. It brings the total generation capacity covered by the exemption to 101.333MW.

To encourage competition, WEL will also now need to run a request for proposals (RFP) for the 5MW battery project.

These changes are part of the Electricity Authority’s wider efforts to support local energy generation and build a more secure, resilient, and efficient electricity system for New Zealand.

Read the decision paper