Wellington, October 14, 2025 — New Zealand’s Electricity Authority (Te Mana Hiko) has opened consultation on proposed non-discrimination obligations aimed at levelling the field between major distributors and independent electricity retailers.
Proposed Market Rules
The draft changes, developed by the Energy Competition Task Force, would prevent the country’s four large generators — Genesis, Contact, Meridian, and Mercury — from allowing their wholesale arms to treat independent retailers differently from their own retail businesses. The authority said the reforms are designed to boost market confidence and ensure greater accountability and transparency across the sector.
Authority Chair Anna Kominik said the mandatory obligations are part of a broader effort to promote fairer market conduct and “future-proof the system for the benefit of all New Zealanders.” Commerce Commission Chair and Task Force member Dr John Small added that the measures would give new entrants and investors confidence, helping expand independent retailers and encourage innovation.
Next Steps
The authority plans to finalise the rule changes early next year, with implementation proposed in early 2026 and the first compliance reports due by July 1, 2026. A public webinar will be held at 1 pm on October 17 to discuss the consultation paper and answer stakeholder questions.
