Open electricity

This will allow New Zealanders to share information about their electricity consumption with trusted third parties, such as comparison websites. It will also require electricity companies to share information – such as pricing – about the goods and services that they sell. This will enable New Zealanders to make more informed decisions about their electricity use.

From 29 August to 10 October 2024, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) consulted on policy settings for electricity regulations under the Customer and Product Data Act. The Government used these submissions to support further analysis on the options, benefits and costs of designating the electricity sector under the Act.

Read the submissions

In September and October 2025 MBIE consulted on draft proposals for the designation with the parties most likely to be impacted by the designation.

The policy settings that the Government has decided on for the designation are summarised in the factsheet below. Regulations to give effect to these settings will be developed this year, with the Government expected to take decisions in mid-2026. The regulations are expected to come into effect a year later. 

MBIE will continue to engage with the sector as part of the work to draft regulations, develop standards and implement the new designation. To ensure that things are well aligned, MBIE will continue to work closely alongside the Electricity Authority on its work on consumer mobility and engage with the sector in a co-ordinated way.