Wellington Electricity owns and operates the electricity distribution network supplying 166,000 homes and businesses in the Wellington, Hutt Valley and Porirua regions.

On 5 December 2017 Wellington Electricity submitted a CPP application to us as it no longer considered the default price-quality path met its needs. Wellington Electricity’s proposal is designed to ensure its network is better prepared to withstand and respond to a major earthquake by bringing emergency hardware, mobile substations, switchboards, critical emergency spares, and enhanced communication systems into the region, as well as strengthening substations.

The application followed a Government Policy Statement issued in light of the 2016 Kaikoura earthquakes, which increased the risk of a major earthquake occurring in Wellington and highlighted the capital city’s vulnerability to seismic activity. The statement outlined the Government’s expectation that the Commission consider options to allow Wellington Electricity to recover resilience-related expenditure that was not anticipated when its price limits were set in 2014.

Our final decision provides for the full $31.2 million of expenditure that Wellington Electricity proposed. We are satisfied that this expenditure is prudent and appropriate costed to deliver a more resilient network that is less susceptible to earthquake damage.

A key feature of the decision has been to set a resilience quality standard that incentivises Wellington Electricity to complete this urgent work.

We expect the investment will result in a typical Wellington Electricity consumer’s monthly bill of $185 increasing by about $1.70 through to 2021. However, the total price a consumer pays also depends on other components including generation, transmission, and retail which make up the majority of a consumer’s electricity bill.

This view shows the latest stage in the project. Click on the circled dates to see details. Navigate to other months, or scroll down, to see all stages.

Note: these dates are indicative only and are subject to change.

  • 20 May 2020

    Completed

    Publication of Wellington Electricity’s CPP consolidated determination

    See documents

  • 09 Apr 2020

    Completed

    Amendment to CPP for Wellington Electricity Lines Limited (Compliance statement due date and auditor’s report)

    See documents

  • 31 Mar 2020

    Completed

    Final decision on Wellington Electricity’s CPP following change to WACC

    See documents

  • 26 Mar 2020

    Completed

    Cross-submissions on Wellington Electricity's CPP WACC reconsideration due

    See documents

  • 19 Mar 2020

    Completed

    Submissions due on Wellington Electricity's CPP WACC reconsideration

    See documents

  • 05 Mar 2020

    Completed

    Draft decision on Wellington Electricity's CPP WACC reconsideration

    See documents

  • 19 Dec 2018

    Completed

    Update following feedback on Powerco and Wellington Electricity CPP processes

    See documents

  • 14 Aug 2018

    Completed

    Cross-submissions received on open letter seeking feedback on Powerco and Wellington Electricity CPP processes

    See documents

  • 31 Jul 2018

    Completed

    Submissions received on open letter seeking feedback on Powerco and Wellington Electricity CPP processes

    See documents

  • 03 Jul 2018

    Completed

    Open letter seeking feedback on Powerco and Wellington Electricity CPP processes

    See documents

  • 28 Mar 2018

    Completed

    Final decision on Wellington Electricity's CPP proposal

    See documents

  • 12 Mar 2018

    Completed

    Cross-submissions received on Wellington Electricity CPP draft decision

    See documents

  • 23 Feb 2018

    Completed

    Submissions received on Wellington Electricity CPP draft decision

    See documents

  • 30 Jan 2018

    Completed

    Draft decision on Wellington Electricity’s CPP proposal

    See documents

  • 21 Dec 2017

    Completed

    Submissions on Wellington Electricity’s CPP proposal

    See documents

  • 06 Dec 2017

    Completed

    Process for determining Wellington Electricity’s customised price-quality path

    See documents

  • 06 Dec 2017

    Completed

    Wellington Electricity’s customised price-quality path proposal

    See documents

  • 01 Dec 2017

    Completed

    Amendment to DPP determination to specify an additional CPP application window

    See documents

  • 29 Nov 2017

    Completed

    Submissions on Wellington Electricity CPP discussion paper

    See documents

  • 29 Nov 2017

    Completed

    Our proposed approach to assessing Wellington Electricity’s CPP proposal

    See documents

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