Improving electricity billing in New Zealand

Upcoming Open Closed Decision

View submissions Submissions closed 12 November 2025

Consultation

This consultation sought feedback on a package of Code changes to improve electricity bills. Thank you to everyone who provided written submissions, we are considering all submissions and will publish our decision in early 2026.

A huge thank you to the those who took the time to share their feedback on this consultation through our online survey- we look forward to sharing the insights from this soon.

The changes we proposed would make bills easier to understand, give consumers the information they need to compare plans and lay the foundations for future services, such as AI-driven tools, smart home systems and new digital platforms that will help consumers save money and manage energy use.

Our proposals would:

standardise content, require plain-language, and ensure logical lay-outs so bills are easier to understand
give residential consumers the information they need to compare plans across the electricity market
support consumers to be on the best plan for their needs through better plan prompts, risk-free time-of-use pricing adoption, and removing of penalties when changing plans within the same retailer
protect residential and small business consumers by limiting back bills and reducing bill shocks from estimated meter readings.

Together, these core protections would remove entrenched barriers, strengthen consumer confidence, and ensure competition delivers the benefits it should.

Draft Code amendment on proposal C3 available

The draft Code amendment included in Appendix A of the consultation paper inadvertently omitted the wording in relation to proposal C3 which aimed to strengthen Consumer Care Obligations by requiring retailers to proactively offer advice on better plans every time any contact is made by a customer regarding billing issues.

Proposal C3 was consulted on (see paragraphs 3.84 to 3.93 and question 19 of the consultation paper and regulatory statement) and also discussed at stakeholder workshops in December 2025. We received useful feedback from submitters and stakeholders.

As part of good regulatory practice, and to meet our obligations under the Electricity Industry Act 2010, we are now publicising the draft Code amendment that would give effect to our refined proposal C3, taking into consideration the feedback received.

The proposed draft Code amendment introduces a proposed new clause 17A to complement the existing obligation in clause 17 of the Consumer Care Obligations, as discussed in the consultation paper with refinements to address submitter feedback.

Please send any comments on the proposed draft Code amendment by 12pm, 17 February 2026 to consumer.mobility@ea.govt.nz

Consumer feedback

Consumer feedback on proposed changes

Booklet for consumers

Better bills booklet

Consultation paper