The Electricity Authority will launch a new website for comparing power bills to better align the industry with consumer needs.
This is one of several changes following last year’s electricity price surge, which prompted a government market review.
Electricity Authority chief executive Sarah Gillies said the new power comparison website would launch in March, with the authority also considering rules to simplify bills and make them easier for consumers to understand.
It also seeks more companies offering off-peak low-price plans, plus regulators sharing power usage data so consumers can automate their electricity use if desired.
“Last year we made a decision that we needed to see the large retailers offering time-of-use plans; there was a sense that some were doing it, but not everybody … so that’s a requirement for everybody over a certain size to do that from July this year.”
In January, the government named the retail electricity sector as the next industry for review under the Customer and Product Data Act.
Known as “open electricity,” it would simplify comparing a household’s or small business’s needs against every power plan available on the market.
Last year, the government introduced the Consumer Data Right, a legal framework allowing people to securely access, share, and manage data like transaction histories with trusted third parties via digital systems. This aims to boost choice, convenience, and innovation.
“Data is absolutely critical … and the bottom line is it belongs to consumers; it’s about them,” Gillies said.
According to Gillies, the authority is collaborating with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment on a framework outlining what information to share.
Power companies had previously been reluctant to release consumer-owned data.
Gillies said the new Power Build comparison website would replace Power Switch to help consumers secure the best deals. Built using two years of data from 30,000 households, it would no longer rely on fees from power companies for customer switches.
“You can either use your own power bill or you can answer some questions about your household and how you use your power, and those two options will give you some choices,” Gillies added.
She explained that details would be provided to clarify time-of-use pricing—a tariff system where electricity rates fluctuate by usage time, rising during peak-demand periods and dropping in off-peak hours.