Industry

Wholesale market

Electricity is bought and sold on the wholesale market. There are about 330 participants in New Zealand's wholesale electricity market.

About the wholesale market

Wairakei geothermal station
Our role

What we do

We work to ensure the wholesale electricity market is efficient, reliable and competitive to achieve the best long-term outcomes for households and businesses across New Zealand.

We do this by developing the policy, systems and rules for the buying and selling of wholesale electricity and for managing security of supply.

New participant?

Find out how to register and participate in the electricity industry.

More about the wholesale market

Learn about how different parts of the wholesale market operate and interact, our responsibilities and industry participants' obligations. This section includes general information, as well as more technical information for industry participants.

Spot market

The spot or wholesale market is a marketplace to buy and sell electricity. It is known as a ‘spot’ market because prices are set on the spot, at a particular time and place.

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Hedge market

An active hedge or futures market is critical to promote competition, reliability and efficiency in the wholesale and retail markets. It helps create transparent and robust forward prices and easy accessibility for new generators, retailers and consumers.

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Security of supply

Security of supply is the balance of electricity supply and demand over time. It's how the wholesale market balances electricity supply and demand in response to generators' ability to supply demand today and in the future.

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Wholesale information and trading system

The wholesale information and trading system is for industry participants to upload their bids and offers. It also makes pricing, scheduling and other market data available to industry participants and the public.

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Tools and resources for industry

We have many tools for participants in the electricity industry to track breaches, submit reports, access data and financial resources.

  • Participant register

    A register of all participants in New Zealand's electricity industry. Use this register to apply to become an industry participant and for a participant identifier.

    View register
  • Electricity registry

    For industry participants to manage reconciliation, invoicing and consumer switching processes. It holds information on all the installation connection points in New Zealand.

    Login
  • Information exchange

    Regular and/or large volumes of information can be efficiently exchanged between industry participants using the electricity information exchange protocols.

    Login
  • Trading conduct reports

    Learn what's happening in the wholesale market and see if any trading periods have been highlighted for further analysis.

    Reports
  • Your meter

    Finds all of the information on home and business connections on the electricity network.

    Your meter
  • Compliance portal

    Use this portal to report an alleged breach, view breach reports and decisions.

    Login
  • Industry guidelines

    Electricity regulation is complex and technical. Find industry-specific best practice guidance here.

    Guidelines

Undesirable trading situations

Wholesale market participants' obligations

All participants in the wholesale market must comply with their industry obligations as set out in the Code.

Electricity generation

As demand for electricity increases, we are seeing more and more renewable generation projects underway in New Zealand.
Investment pipeline