为新西兰消费者打造更公平的电力市场

新西兰人将从电力市场监管机构（Electricity Authority）宣布的新规则中受益，这些规则旨在建立一个公平的电力市场环境，防止该国四大电力“发电—零售一体化企业”（gentailers）利用其市场支配力挤压小型竞争对手，能源部长 Simeon Brown 表示。

“在电力市场建立公平竞争环境，是本届政府致力于为每个家庭和企业提供安全、可负担能源的重要举措，”Brown先生表示。

“从今年7月1日起，这四大企业——Contact、Genesis、Mercury和Meridian，将不再被允许在管理批发电力价格风险时，为其自有零售部门提供比独立零售商更优惠的条件。

“这意味着小型零售商可以在公平条件下竞争，这对所有希望获得更低电费的家庭和企业来说都是好消息。”

在早晚用电高峰期间，家庭用电增加，批发电价会上涨。小型零售商依赖与大型发电商签订的对冲合约来管理风险，从而能够向客户提供具有竞争力的价格。此前，这些发电商可以在向自有零售部门提供条件时优于竞争对手。

新规则将要求这些企业：

• 在提供对冲合约时，对竞争零售商与自有零售部门一视同仁，除非有客观理由不这样做

• 每年提交合规计划给电力管理局，并确认其正在遵守规定

• 每六个月证明其零售价格反映电力的实际预期成本，以确保同等效率的竞争者能够与之竞争

在立法通过的前提下，对严重违规行为的处罚将从最高200万纽币提高至1000万纽币、或企业商业收益的三倍、或公司营业额的10%，以最高者为准。更高的处罚预计将在2027年生效。

“公平竞争环境将促进更多竞争、更多投资和更多创新。这意味着更好的价格和更多选择。”

“本届政府希望新西兰的每一个家庭和企业都能获得安全、可负担的能源。”

今天的宣布是在政府一系列行动基础上的进一步推进，这些措施旨在修复基础体系并建立更安全、可负担的能源未来，包括：

• 快速审批规则，以推动能源基础设施建设，目前已有四个可再生能源项目被加速审批

• 支持Genesis、Mercury和Meridian提出的合理资本投资请求，以提升能源安全

• 正在推进液化天然气（LNG）设施采购流程，以在水电不足且风能和太阳能无法满足需求时保障供电

• 向养老金领取者及主要福利领取者提供冬季能源补贴

• 能源竞争工作组的短期和中期措施，包括加强对冲合约交易以应对用电高峰需求

• 改善电力分销系统绩效，该部分约占新西兰人电费的四分之一

• 取消在现有住宅和建筑上安装屋顶太阳能的建筑许可要求，过去一年太阳能接入增长16%

• 制定新规则，以确保在用电高峰时向电网回馈电力的家庭获得更公平的电价

“今天的宣布将确保一个更加公平、更具竞争力的电力市场，让所有新西兰人都能在需要时获得安全、可负担的能源。”

New Zealanders will benefit from new rules announced by the Electricity Authority to create a level playing field in the electricity market, preventing the country’s four biggest electricity generators from using their market power to squeeze out smaller competitors, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.

“Creating a level playing field in the electricity market plays an important role in this Government’s focus on delivering secure, affordable energy for every household and business,” Mr Brown says.

“From 1 July this year, the four big gentailers, Contact, Genesis, Mercury, and Meridian, will no longer be allowed to give their own retail arms a better deal than independent retailers when it comes to managing wholesale electricity price risk.

“This means smaller retailers can compete on fair terms, which is good news for every Kiwi household and business looking for a better deal on their power bill.”

Around the morning and dinner-time peak, when households increase their power consumption, wholesale electricity prices spike. Small retailers rely on hedge contracts with the big gentailers to manage that risk so they can offer competitive prices to their customers. Until now, the gentailers have been able to favour their own retail arms over the competition.

The new rules will require gentailers to:

Treat competing retailers the same way they treat their own retail arms when supplying hedge contracts, unless there is an objective reason not to
Submit annual plans to the Electricity Authority showing how they will comply, and certify they are doing so
Demonstrate every six months that their retail prices reflect the actual expected cost of electricity, so an equally efficient competitor can compete with them.

Subject to legislation passing, penalties for serious breaches will rise from a maximum of $2 million to up to $10 million, three times the commercial gain, or 10 per cent of a company’s turnover, whichever is greatest. The higher penalties are due to be in place in 2027.

“A level playing field will encourage more competition, more investment and more innovation in the electricity sector. That means better prices and more choice for Kiwis.

“This Government wants every home and business in New Zealand to have access to secure, affordable energy.”

Today’s announcement builds on a wide range of Government actions to fix the basics and build a more secure, affordable energy future for Kiwis, including:

Fast-track consenting rules to encourage energy infrastructure construction, with four renewable energy projects already fast-tracked
Supporting commercially rational capital funding requests by Genesis, Mercury and Meridian to improve energy security
Undertaking a procurement process for an LNG facility to keep the power on when hydro lakes are low, and there is insufficient solar and wind power to meet demand
Winter Energy Payments to superannuitants and recipients of main benefits
Short and medium-term actions by the Energy Competition Task Force, including strengthening hedge contract trading designed to address super peak demand periods 
Actively seeking to improve the performance of electricity distribution – which comprises around a quarter of Kiwis’ power bills
Removing the need for building consents to install rooftop solar on existing homes and buildings, with solar connections up 16 per cent in the past year
Developing new rules to ensure fairer rates for consumers putting power back into the grid from their solar generation at peak times. 

“Today’s announcement will ensure a fairer, more competitive electricity market, so all New Zealanders can benefit from secure, affordable energy when they need it.”