Consumer access and choice
Take our survey
Have your say
Most people can access a range of power companies and plans, but this isn’t always easy for people with credit-related issues or old-style meters.
We want to hear from people who have:
- been turned down by a power company
- found it hard to open an account
- used prepay because they could not get a post-pay plan
- not been able to get a plan or service they want
- needed help to get connected
If this is you – or someone you know – please help by answering a few questions. You can also email your feedback to: consumer.mobility@ea.govt.nz
Your experiences will help us find out if more needs to be done to support people to access electricity and choose a plan that works for them. We are not proposing any rule changes right now, but we might do in the future based on the information you share.
What's the issue?
In 2025, power companies turned down around 46,900 applications for post-pay electricity for credit-related reasons. This doesn’t always mean people can’t get power. But the options may not work as well as they could.
Prepay electricity can help people get connected, manage spending and avoid building up debt. But prepay needs a communicating smart meter.
If a home does not have the right type of meter, prepay may not be available. Prepay may not offer the same range of plans as post-pay electricity.
This can limit people’s ability to choose newer types of plans that could save their household money, like time-of-use plans.
Social retailing and community-based services can offer tailored support but are not available everywhere, or to everyone.
Some power companies may also connect people through other arrangements, like bonds or ways of managing payments. But these options may depend on the person’s situation and may not always be easy to get.
Find out more
The Authority is currently consulting on this until 5pm, 11 August 2026. You can read the consultation paper Improving consumer access and choice.