Industry Pricing Review
The increasing adoption of technologies such as solar generation, electric vehicles, battery storage and home energy management systems is transforming the way consumers use electricity.
These new technologies are giving consumers more choice and control of their electricity use, and are challenging the philosophies underpinning existing electricity infrastructure investment, and related consumer pricing structures.
For electricity users to gain maximum benefit from these new technologies, transparent and time-specific pricing signals are required, so consumers understand what they are paying for electricity. For electricity lines businesses, revenue through electricity tariffs needs to be reflective of the investments made in infrastructure, and those costs fairly allocated across all consumers benefiting from the electricity network.
The Electricity Authority is addressing this evolution in the electricity industry by a review focused specifically on the implications of new technologies, in relation to the pricing of distribution services, for the benefit of both consumers and electricity distributors throughout New Zealand. Submissions closed for this initial consultation document on 2 February 2016.