We understand that electricity and signing up for a new connection can be a bit confusing. Here's a list of frequently asked questions that will help.
Contact your Aurora Energy to report faults. You can call us between 8:00am and 5:00pm, Monday to Friday. Outside these hours, your call will be answered by our 24-hour emergency service. Phone: 0800 22 00 05.
There are four different types of organisations that work together to provide you with electricity:
- Electricity Generators: generate the power at power stations.
- Transpower: operates the national grid which transmits electricity from power stations to zone substations.
- Lines Companies: distribute electricity from zone substations to homes and business. There are many lines companies throughout New Zealand. Each has their own area in which they build and maintain their network. Aurora Energy is a lines company.
- Retailers: Sell you the electricity and conduct meter reading.
.In the first instance you will need to use an Aurora Energy approved a contractor who will be able to make all the arrangements for you. See the list of approved contractors for your area
A simple connection is where a Point of Supply is available and no extensions, modifications or easements are required.
A standard connection is where a Point of Supply is not always available and extensions, modifications or easements are required.
A strategic connection is defined as a larger project, of strategic significance to Aurora Energy.
Aurora Energy’s line charge prices recover the direct costs of distributing electricity to you across our network, and other indirect costs including incentives, rates, regulatory levies and transmission of electricity across Transpower’s national grid (together, pass-through prices). The Commerce Commission regulates to constrain the revenues of distribution businesses like Aurora Energy, to protect the interests of consumers, and sets stringent standards for service performance.
For information regarding how lines charges and prices are determined, the methodologies used, and to view our pricing disclosures, please view our pricing page.
You will either be contacted by your electricity retailer or receive a hand delivered notice to inform you when the power is going off and for how long.
Planned outages are also published on the Aurora Energy website.
If your property is to be moved or demolished and will be permanently disconnected you will need to contact your electricity retailer. There may also be some costs involved with the disconnection.
You should report any streetlight faults to your local council. Each council will have their own contractors who will deal with any faults in the first instance.
No, Aurora Energy does not own any electricity meters. If you have a problem with your electricity meter please contact your electricity retailer (the company you pay your power account to).
ICP stands for Installation Control Point. An ICP Number is a unique number that is assigned to identify an individual consumer connection point. You may need to quote the ICP Number(s) of your meter(s) to an electricity retailer if you change retailers.
You can also use your ICP number to check your lines charges here.
Your electricity retailer handles your billing. You will find their contact details on your power bill. Please note that generally, Aurora Energy will not disconnect the electricity supply to your premises unless required to do so for safety reasons, including prevention of damage to property. Your electricity retailer may disconnect your power supply in accordance with the terms of their contract with you.
If you need your power disconnected or reconnected when moving out of or into a property, please contact your electricity retailer.
Yes, your new chosen retailer will apply to your existing retailer for a switch.
Aurora Energy owns the 'network lines' that usually run down the side of the road, and our poles usually carry several lines. Aurora Energy is responsible for the repair of any faults on our electricity network or equipment.
In general, the property owner becomes responsible for the 'service line' at the point it crosses their boundary, and the property owner is responsible for any costs involved with this part of the line. If a fault occurs and is found to be on your side of the boundary, the cost of repair and possibly the call out charge will be your responsibility.
Many owners/consumers do not realise they are responsible for power lines and poles that supply electricity to their property. Inside private property boundaries, owners/consumers are legally responsible for the safety and maintenance of their electrical installation. This includes any overhead or underground service lines, not just the wiring inside a building.
You can find out more here.
Service lines are the customer's responsibility, this means if you need to work on these lines, it will be at your cost.
If you are having work done on a service line then you will require an Aurora Energy approved contractor, as that contractor will need access to our network to isolate your line.
A list of Aurora Energy approved contractors can be found here.
Repairs to roofing, spouting, painting, water-blasting, tree trimming and scaffolding can be dangerous if carried out close to overhead service lines.
If you require a 'Temporary Safety Disconnection' for these types of works, please contact your retailer, who will be able to organise this for you.
You need to give at least 24 hours’ notice, and the disconnection must take place in normal working hours (8:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday to Friday) or you will be liable for charges. If you require a temporary disconnection for electrical work to take place, then please see the next question below.
Please be aware that if your property is outside of town boundaries, the contractor may charge mileage on top of their fees.
If you are carrying out electrical work you will need to employ the services of an Aurora Energy approved contractor to temporarily disconnect your power from our network. A list of these contractors can be found here.
Yes, there will either be an easement stated in the deeds of your property or there will be existing rights under the Electricity Act 1992.
Faults on our network caused by a third party are charged to those responsible for the damage. If a tree drops onto our power lines or equipment, the tree owner is responsible. If a vehicle like a tractor or farm machinery hits our power lines or equipment, or if a high load on a truck takes down our lines across a road, the driver is responsible.
This will be a civil matter between you and your neighbour as the trees are only affecting your service line. We recommend you speak to your neighbour and make them aware of the problem and arrange between you both to have the trees cut back and if necessary, apply for a temporary safety disconnection. Find out more here.
You will need to contact one of Aurora Energy’s approved tree contractors who will be able to advise you further.
NOTE: do not cut these trees yourself as they are very close to high voltage lines and can only be cut back by professionals. There may be a charge for cutting your trees away from the network lines.
Find out more on our Trees page here.
Contact the beforeUdig service who will be able to assist you.
If you know you will be working close to live lines then you may require a Close Proximity Permit.
Please call us on 0800 22 00 05 to arrange a permit.
Follow the 4-metre rule: All work activity must be kept AT LEAST 4 METRES from overhead power lines. If you need to work closer you need a Close Proximity Permit.
For further information on close working distances, please call us on 0800 22 00 05.
Yes, but this will be at your cost and there are minimum lengths for the underground conversion. You will require an Aurora Energy approved contractor to carry out this work.
To keep the cost of electricity down. Underground cables are much more expensive to install than overhead lines. It is true that they generally require less maintenance and usually suffer fewer faults, but underground cable faults are much harder (and thus more expensive) to locate and repair.
There may be times when we (or our contractors) need to access your property to conduct inspections and perform maintenance.
We promise to:
- Give you reasonable notice when we (or our appointed contractors) need to enter your land to inspect or operate network equipment. We will do this via a phone call, email/letter or a personal visit (door-knock)
- Give you at least 10 working days’ notice, in writing, when we need to enter your land to conduct planned maintenance
- Tell you when and why we entered your property, as soon as possible after the event, if we needed to access your land urgently in response to a fault or to maintain the safety of the network and/or continuity of the electricity supply
- Treat your property with respect and care, removing all rubbish and debris from our work
- Repair any damage caused by us as a consequence of performing work on your property
- Act in a professional and courteous manner at all times
An easement is a right agreed between a landowner and another party to use a property for a particular purpose and can be registered against the property’s title.