Electricity Authority (New Zealand) Explained

Agency Name:	Electricity Authority
Type:	Crown entity
Headquarters:	Level 7, 1 Willis Street, Wellington
Minister1 Name:	Simeon Brown
Minister1 Pfo:	Minister for Energy
Chief1 Name:	Sarah Gillies
Chief1 Position:	Chief Executive (Acting)

The Electricity Authority (mi|Te Mana Hiko) is an independent Crown entity responsible for the regulation of the New Zealand electricity market.^[1] The Authority was established in November 2010, following a government review^[2] of the electricity industry, and replaced the Electricity Commission. The Authority has a narrower focus on industry competition, reliability and efficiency than the Electricity Commission had.

Functions and responsibilities

The key functions performed by the Authority^[3] are:

• Registering industry participants
• Developing and administering the Electricity Industry Participation Code
• Monitoring and enforcing compliance with the Code
• Acting as Market Administrator and contracting providers of market operations services
• Facilitating market performance through information, best-practice guidelines and related services; and
• Undertaking sector reviews

Functions that were performed by the Commission, but which are undertaken by agencies other than the Authority include:

• Consumer protection  - Consumer Affairs at Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
• Electricity efficiency  - Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority
• Reserve energy and emergency campaigns  - Transpower
• Security of supply information and forecasting  - Transpower
• Transmission network upgrades approval  - Commerce Commission

See also

• Electricity sector in New Zealand
• Electricity Commission (New Zealand)

External links

• Electricity Authority

Notes and References

1. Web site: About us . Electricity Authority.
2. Web site: Ministerial Review of Electricity Market performance 2009. 9 December 2009. MED.
3. Web site: Electricity Industry Participation Code . Electricity Authority . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110811105123/http://www.ea.govt.nz/act-code-regs/code-regs/the-code/ . 2011-08-11 .