Auckland (The NZ Today)
National has unveiled a new nine-point electricity plan aimed at increasing competition, speeding up new generation and giving households more control over how they buy and sell power.
The package, called Electrify NZ 2.0, brings together several previously announced policies with new proposals targeting electricity network charges, solar connections and the way households can sell excess power back into the market.
National energy spokesperson Simeon Brown said rising power bills were being driven by more than just wholesale electricity prices, pointing to network costs, regulation and the expense of maintaining backup generation for dry years.
One of the key proposals would allow households and businesses with solar panels or batteries to sell electricity to any retailer or buyer, rather than being tied to the company they purchase electricity from.
National also wants residential and small-business solar connections approved within two working days, while giving consumers greater choice over which accredited contractor carries out some connection work.
Another major focus is electricity lines charges.
National says network costs have become a significant part of recent increases in household power bills and wants the rules governing how much revenue electricity distribution companies can recover reviewed.
The party would also make affordability a formal objective of the Electricity Authority, alongside its existing regulatory responsibilities.
The nine-point plan also proposes opening up more opportunities for private investment in transmission infrastructure and creating new energy development zones where major users, generators and investors could help build the infrastructure they need.
National says it would also make changes to the market for backup electricity generation to improve security during dry years, when hydro-electric storage is under pressure.
The package includes the previously announced Home Energy Fund, which would offer eligible property owners long-term, low-interest financing for solar panels, batteries, insulation and other household energy upgrades. National says the loans would be secured against properties and repaid through rates.
Planning rules would also be further relaxed to make wind, solar and hydro projects easier to build.
National has separately proposed requiring large new AI data centres to bring additional firmed electricity generation with them, so the party says growing demand from the technology sector does not simply add pressure to the existing grid.
Brown said some parts of the package could affect costs relatively quickly, while other measures would take longer because they require new investment and regulatory change.
National argues New Zealand is already seeing stronger renewable generation, pointing to recent official data showing a record June quarter for solar and geothermal generation and lower wholesale electricity prices.
Labour has rejected the package, with energy spokesperson Megan Woods arguing National has had three years in government to reduce household power bills and that several of the proposals amount to further reviews rather than immediate relief.
Source: National Party policy announcement; additional reporting context from RNZ.
