Annual review of the system operator’s performance

In our role as the industry regulator, the Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko is responsible for defining the role of the system operator and assessing the system operator’s performance. Our assessment for the period 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023 is complete.

Overall we are satisfied with the system operator’s day-to-day business. The system operator operated well during events throughout the year, the most notable being Cyclone Gabrielle.

We have five recommendations for 2024:

• The system operator does more to work with the Electricity Authority and provide strategic thinking across the short, medium and long-term planning.
• In collaboration with the Electricity Authority, the system operator considers running a simulation for its next pan-industry exercise in 2024, with more interactive elements for a wider range of participants.
• When the system operator is performing a business assurance audit, the system operator includes an audit of the inputs; that the outputs of software used in the process are as expected; and that the software is functioning as provided for in the functional specification.
• The system operator should include a section in the self-review that acknowledges any adverse issues, events, or near-events that occurred or concluded in the year, for example Rulings Panel decisions.
• The system operator should include information in the self-review to better reflect on the things that did not go well and what the system operator learned from this.

Review of system operator performance 2022/23