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System security and resilience
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Future security and resilience

This project examines the security and resilience of New Zealand's electricity supply.

  • Generation
  • Innovation
  • Low emissions

    • Open consultation

    Future system operation: DSO models

    Submissions due by 19 August 2025

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    Overview

    The future security and resilience project is focused on how to ensure the electricity system remains secure and resilient in the coming decades. This project has three phases:

    • Phase 1 - identified opportunities and challenges affecting security and resilience of the power system as it transitions towards a low-emissions energy system. This phase was completed in March 2022.

    • Phase 2 - set out a road map of activities to address the opportunities and challenges identified in phase one. This phase was completed in August 2022.

    • Phase 3 - commenced in late 2022 and will include delivery of a multi-year programme of studies and solutions to address the challenges and opportunities identified in Phase 2. This project is the highest priority activity on the road map.

    We have published a set of future security and resilience indicators to monitor changes to the opportunities and challenges to the future security and resilience of the power system. The indicators are designed to be a low-cost way to help inform the prioritisation of activities.

    Timeline

    Past activity

    Project background

    New Zealand’s transition to a net zero emissions economy will require a material increase in renewables, presenting new challenges to the operation of the electricity market and security of electricity supply.

    This project is part of our response to the Government’s 2019 Electricity Price Review, in particular recommendation G2, to examine the security and resilience of electricity supply.

    Electricity systems worldwide, including New Zealand’s, were originally designed on the assumption that fossil fuels would play an important role in generation. The move towards 100% renewables, and the uptake of new technology, present opportunities for other technologies to provide the services that have been supported by fossil fuels.

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