Frequently asked questions

What is Powershop?

Powershop is New Zealand's newest and smartest power retailer. By 'power retailer' we mean we are responsible for the supply of electricity to our customer's homes & businesses, reading their meters and billing them. We supply electricity to residential and business customers in many parts of New Zealand and provide them with easy to understand information about their power usage. Powershop is the smarter way to buy power, offering customers flexibility and choice.

Who’s behind Powershop?

Powershop is wholly owned by Meridian Energy - a NZ Government owned State Owned Enterprise (SOE).

Who leads Powershop?

Powershop is headed by Ari Sargent, a well respected figure and innovator of the power industry with 20 years of experience, and a former executive of Meridian Energy.

How independent is Powershop from Meridian?

We are a stand alone company, and operate independently with our own Board of Directors, including independent Chairman John Journée who is currently also Chief Executive of the Noel Leeming Group

Powershop has complete autonomy over who we do business with, we have our own wholesale energy trading operation and complete control over the products we sell and how we price our ‘Standard Power’ house brand products.

How do I contact Powershop?

Check out our contact us page.

Do you supply gas?

Not at the moment. To find out when we are able to supply you with gas please subscribe to our updates and we'll keep you posted. You can still switch to Powershop for your electricity supply and keep your gas with your existing gas supplier.

How does Powershop work?

We offer our customers a range of power products, including some of New Zealand's best-priced power. You have the choice over the kind of power product you buy (i.e. the cheapest, the greenest, one associated with a charity).

Once you have switched you will be set up as a “set and forget” customer – you don’t have to do anything. We will purchase the power you need for you each month using the default product preference you set (e.g. the cheapest product) and charge it to your preferred payment method. Or you can do your own power shopping though our online shop where you can choose the kind power product you want to buy.

How is it different to other power companies?

Powershop is the smarter way to buy power. Powershop is online, and we provide easy to understand information that allows our customers to understand how much power they are using and to help them use it wisely. We also offer customers choice about the power products they buy and the flexibility of when and how they pay for it.

• Powershop offers you the choice over the kind of power product you buy (the cheapest, the greenest etc)
• Powershop lets you pay for power in advance if you want to take advantage of cheap prices or help with budgeting, or you can pay monthly in arrears, just like most people do now
• Powershop lets you choose how and when you pay for your power
• Powershop reads your meter every month (in most areas) or you can enter your own meter reading so your account will always be accurate
• Powershop gives you online tools and resources to help you understand and monitor your power usage, helping you save power and money
• Powershop believes that the current power industry needs a bit of a shake up and that's exactly what's we’re trying to do. By introducing choice and control to customers Powershop hopes to encourage true competition to the power industry for the first time in New Zealand.

What do I have to do differently if I’m a Powershop customer?

You don't have to do anything differently if you don't want to. You can deal with Powershop in exactly the same way as you deal with your existing power company - where we take a meter reading and you pay for the power that you've used each month. If you want to take advantage of all that Powershop has to offer you can use our online shop where you can log in as often as you want, enter your meter readings, see how much power you're using and snap up our offers and specials.

Do I need to be able to read my meter to use Powershop?

No, you don't have to read your meter yourself. Our meter reader will still come to your house once a month (in most areas). We do suggest though that you do enter meter readings online on a regular basis so you can better understand and manage your power consumption.

How often do I need to log in?

We recommend you login at least once when you first become a customer and enter a meter reading. However the more regularly you log in and update your meter reading, the more you'll be able to see how much power you are using - no more bill shocks! You shouldn't need to spend more than 5-10 minutes a week to take advantage of all that Powershop has to offer.

Do you have fixed term contracts?

No, we don't have any fixed term contracts.

What are your prices and plans?

Powershop has no plans as such. We're committed to offering you some of New Zealand's most competitive electricity prices so regardless of what kind of plan you may be on with your current power company, most customers can save with Powershop, simply because they’re not on the best tariff.

Check out our savings calculator here.

Are there any hidden fees or charges in your unit price?

There are no additional fees or charges like daily fixed charges. The full cost of your power is included in your unit price. But we do charge fees for additional services in special situations, see our schedule of fees.

What is included in the Powershop unit price?

Everything required to supply power to your property. This includes the cost of the power, the lines charges, Electricity Commission levies, GST and other service costs such as meter lease and reading. Only additional services are not included in unit price.

Why doesn’t Powershop have a fixed daily charge?

Powershop wants to make it easy for our customers to choose the power products that suit their budget and lifestyle. We think daily fixed charges add confusion. Having just per unit prices is much simpler as it allows you to easily understand what you are buying and make ‘apples-for-apples’ comparisons across different kinds of power we offer in our shop.

Will I be charged for additional services?

Yes, you will be charged for additional services in special situations e.g. special meter reads you request - for more information see our schedule of fees. We will tell you if you are going to be charged.

Do you have prompt payment discounts?

No, this is already factored in to our product prices and your estimated savings. In most cases Powershop will still be cheaper than your existing supplier even with their prompt payment discount. Compare savings using our savings calculator.

Do you have a ‘Low User’ tariff?

Yes, if you use less than an average user- 8,000kWh (North Island) or 9,000kWh (South Island - South of Christchurch) per annum - and the property we are supplying is your primary residence (i.e. not a holiday home) then we will ensure your prices are no higher than an average user. To take advantage of this you must opt in. To update your account as a low user, login to your Powershop account, click “my settings” then “account preferences” click the tick box for “primary residence/low user pricing” and press Save Changes.

Do I still get the benefit from my day/night or controlled/uncontrolled metering?

Yes, you will still get the benefit of your multiple meter set up with Powershop. Your prices are determined by the amount of your power use that is metered as controlled and/or night.

How are the prices for day/night or controlled/uncontrolled meters broken down?

Your prices will be a ‘blend’ of day and night or controlled and uncontrolled rates that reflect your metered usage. The more night or controlled power you use the lower your prices will become.

Why do the prices change?

Product prices will go down in summer and up in winter following the cost we pay for wholesale energy. Matching our product prices to wholesale costs reduces our risk so we don't have to charge you extra to fix your rate. We also run a schedule of power specials to help you save even more.

Why do my prices vary with usage?

Powershop, like most businesses, has fixed costs that are incurred irrespective of the number of units sold to a particular customer (for example to lease the metering equipment at a property). In addition, Powershop is charged daily charges by the lines companies which are payable whether a customer uses a little or a lot of power.

As the Powershop approach to pricing is to offer a single unit price to a customer that has to cover all costs, it becomes necessary to adjust (or scale) the amount of this charge that covers fixed costs, based upon how much a customer uses. So a low user will pay a similar amount per year towards the fixed costs as a high user.

So as an example, if Powershop’s fixed costs were say $200 per year, and we needed to recover this equally from a user who uses 5000 units per year and one who uses 20000 units per year, the component of the unit price for each user would be 200/5000 = 0.04 (4 cents) and 200/20000 = 0.01 (1 cent) respectively.

All other Powershop costs are variable costs. As such, these costs are recovered with no scaling based upon how much a customer uses.

So whilst it looks as though the low user is paying more per unit, they are not paying more towards the fixed costs and are paying the same towards the variable costs. This approach of scaling the unit price based upon how much someone uses simply ensures that all users are being fairly charged for their proportion of the fixed costs.

Can you guarantee that the prices will stay low?

Prices will change from month to month, but they will always stay reasonable – we're determined to save our customers money and our commitment is to always bring you some of New Zealand’s most competitive electricity deals.

Why are the prices different for different people?

The cost of your power will differ depending on where you live, your metering set-up and how much the lines company in your area charges. If you have more than one meter, you will generally have cheaper power prices as a multiple meter set up means your power company can take advantage of off-peak times and are able to pass these savings on to you.

Why does my current power company’s price per unit appear cheaper than Powershop’s?

Powershop prices per unit include all daily fixed charges, whereas your current power company’s price per unit will almost certainly be in addition to a daily fixed charge. We reckon daily fixed charges are confusing. Our savings calculator converts your current power company’s prices to an annual average inclusive price per unit (like ours) and then estimates how much you could save through Powershop per year.

How much will I save?

We’re determined to save you money. By switching to Powershop most customers will save money, simply because they are not currently on the cheapest available tariff in their area now, and because Powershop aims to bring you some of New Zealand’s most competitive electricity deals. Use our savings calculator to estimate typical customer savings.

What is a typical customer?

Powershop defines a customer as typical if they are on a common tariff, use between 4,000 – 15,000 kWh of electricity across the year in the relevant monthly profile shown below and who regularly purchase (either directly or automatically) the cheapest available Everyday product.

* This profile is the typical usage pattern of customers within each network area we supply and is based on historic data supplied by the Electricity Commission.

Do I still get a rebate from my lines company with Powershop?

Yes of course. If you're due a rebate from your lines company, they'll advise us of the correct amount and, depending on their instructions, we'll apply this to your Powershop account or pay it to you.

Does it cost anything to switch to Powershop?

No it doesn’t, unless your property doesn't have an electricity supply and requires reconnection or connection to the electricity network (in which case special fees will apply and we will advise you of them before you incur them).

Are prices inclusive of GST?

Yes, all prices include GST.

I live in Christchurch - tell me about your weekend rebate?

Powershop offers our customers on the Orion network who have a smart meter, a 5c/kWh monthly rebate on any power they consume between 7am -9pm, on Saturday and Sundays. We are able to do this because Orion (the local Christchurch network company) charges less for daytime line services over the weekends. All they needed was a retailer with systems smart enough to pass the savings on. A retailer like Powershop.

Is Powershop available in my area?

Powershop is currently available in Auckland, Franklin, Waikato, Rotorua, New Plymouth, Hawkes Bay, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Horowhenua, Kapiti, Wairarapa towns, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown, Dunedin, Invercargill (limited areas) & Bluff. We plan to extend our service across New Zealand. Click here to find out if we can supply your property.

When will Powershop be available in my area?

We are adding new regions all the time. Sign up to keep me posted and we will let you know when we are available in your area.

Can I switch my commercial businesses to Powershop?

This depends on the metering equipment installed in your premises. Currently we only support non ‘time-of-use’ meter configurations. However if you wish to switch but are unsure of your meter configuration you can call us on 0800 IN CONTROL (0800 462 668) and talk to us.

Can I switch if I have more than one meter?

Yes, you can switch to Powershop if you have more than one meter.

Can I switch if I have a prepay meter?

No, unfortunately we can't supply prepaid meters at present. We may be able to in the future subscribe to our updates and we'll keep you posted.

Can I switch if I have a smart meter?

Yes, you can switch to Powershop if you have a smart meter. If you are a smart meter customer we will enter into arrangements with the meter owner. Our preference is to try and get daily readings. This means your account balance will always be up to date.

I’m moving into a new house, can I still switch?

Yes, you can switch to Powershop if you are moving to a new house. When you sign up online, select the option 'I'm planning to move to a new house soon (and want to set up Powershop for my new house)'. You can give us the details of the property you are moving to and your move in date as part of the signup process.

If you're currently a Powershop customer and moving house see How do I move house with Powershop.

I’ve been disconnected, can I still switch?

Yes, you can switch to Powershop if you have been disconnected or there is no current supply to your house. However, if you have been disconnected because you have not paid your current retailer they may not allow you to switch until you have paid them any outstanding bills, We will arrange for your power to be connected, but a reconnection fee will be charged - see our schedule of fees.

Can I switch my gas supply to Powershop?

We do not currently supply gas, although this is something we are keen to do in the future. You can still switch to Powershop for electricity and remain with your current supplier for gas.

My gas supply is with another company, can I still switch?

Yes, you can still switch to Powershop if you have your gas with another company. If you currently have dual gas and electricity supply from the same power company you can switch just your electricity supply over to Powershop and remain with your current power supplier for gas. You don't need to do anything differently when you fill in the application form to switch to Powershop.

Do I need to have any special equipment if I want switch to Powershop?

No - Powershop supplies electricity to your home or business just like your current electricity supplier, so you won't need any special equipment or metering (the only exception to this is that if you have a prepay meter, you are not able to switch Powershop). You don't have to manage your account online if you don't want to but you will need a valid email address.

Is there a bond or other charge to switch to Powershop?

No, we don't require a bond, and the only time we'll charge you to join Powershop is when the property you're signing up doesn't have an electricity supply and requires us to organise reconnection or connection to the electricity network. Your old supplier may charge you for a final meter read in some circumstances - you'll need to check with them.

How do I switch?

You can switch by signing up online, it only takes a few minutes and we'll do the rest, including contacting your old supplier - switch to Powershop now.

What do I need to do/have when I switch?

It will only to take a few minutes to sign up online and all you'll need is your preferred payment details (credit card or bank account). To help speed up the switching process you can give us your ICP number (you can find this on any of your current power bills) and a meter read.

What is an ICP number and where do I find it?

Your property has a unique ICP number identifying it on the New Zealand electricity network. You can find your ICP number on your current power bill normally located under your invoice number. It consists of 15 digits – mostly numbers with a few letters at the end.

Do I have to talk to my old power company if I switch? What happens to them?

No, you don't need to talk to your old power company when you switch to Powershop, we'll do that for you. When we tell your current electricity supplier that you are switching to Powershop they are obliged to complete your switch within 28 days by giving us your final meter reading. They will use this final meter reading to send you the final bill for your account with them.

Why do I have to set up credit card or direct debit details when I switch?

To ensure we can automatically top up your account if you forget or don't get around to buying power we need to set up a preferred default payment method either a credit, debit card or bank account details. This also means we don’t have to do credit checks or ask for bonds.

How does the direct debit set up process work?

By entering your bank account details you are giving us permission to take money out of your account to pay for your power. In addition to ensure that we have the correct bank account details Powershop has a Direct Debit Confirmation Process that works in three steps:

1. We deduct $1 by direct debit from your allocated bank account and include a five-character confirmation code in the reference field. This is to test that we have the right account number for you.
2. We credit the $1 to your Powershop account for future use, and email you with a link to confirm your direct debit.
3. You check your bank statement , find for the five-character code, click on the link in the email and enter the code to confirm we can activate your direct debit..

What if I switch to Powershop and then change my mind?

No problem - you are covered by our 60 day guarantee.

What is the 60 day guarantee?

After 60 days, if you’re not convinced Powershop is for you, we’ll help you reconnect to your old supplier and we’ll refund any unused electricity, no quibbles. Read our refund policy here.

If you decide to switch away after 60 days refunds will only be given in certain circumstances.

Who do I talk to if I have problems trying to switch?

Call us toll free on 0800 462 668 between the hours or 9am - 9pm, Monday - Friday for assistance with switching.

Will my power be cut off when I switch?

No, your power won't be cut off (unless your current supplier has already threatened disconnection because you haven't paid them). Switching to Powershop just involves the transfer of information, we won't be touching any equipment affecting your supply.

What happens after I switch – do I need to do anything?

We’ll be in frequent contact with you throughout the switching process (this could take anywhere up to a month to complete, but we’re able to switch most people in two weeks) and we'll let you know if you need to do anything.

Don't be surprised if you receive a phone call from your previous power company trying to convince you not to leave. Funny how they only seem to love you when you say you want to leave. You can be confident you have made a good choice to join Powershop. Feel free to call us on 0800 462 668 if you ever have any concerns.

Once you have been successfully switched over to Powershop we will let you know. You don’t have to do anything after your switch is completed, but we do recommend that you enter a meter reading some time in the first few days to bring your account balance up to date and to help us estimate how much power you are using each day.

How do I move house with Powershop?

You can move house online with Powershop and it only takes a few minutes. Login to your Powershop account and select the ‘My Settings’ tab and then go to the ‘Address Details’ area, then follow the simple instructions from here.

You can organise your move with Powershop up to one month in advance of your move-in date.

If you're not yet a customer but are moving house and wish to switch to Powershop see I’m moving into a new house, can I still switch?.

How do I move business with Powershop?

This depends on the metering equipment installed at your new premises. Currently we only support non ‘time-of-use’ meter configurations. If you wish to move your business with Powershop but are unsure of the meter configuration at your new location give us a call on 0800 472 952.

Does Powershop supply electricity at my new location?

Powershop is currently available in Auckland, Franklin, Waikato, Rotorua, New Plymouth, Hawkes Bay, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Horowhenua, Kapiti, Wairarapa towns, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown, Dunedin, Invercargill (limited areas) & Bluff. We plan to extend our service across New Zealand. If you wish to confirm we can supply electricity at your new location give us a call on 0800 IN-CONTROL (0800 462 668).

How do I enter a final meter reading?

On the day you move out of your property and for up to 3 days after you move out, you can login to your account and enter your final meter reading. When you login to your Powershop account to enter your final meter reading you will see an ‘Overview’ screen that allows you to access both your properties. Select your old property details and select ‘enter my read’ to enter in your final meter reading. Alternatively, if you don’t have internet access during your move give us a call on 0800 IN-CONTROL (0800 462 668) and we’ll enter this read for you.

Please note, if the final meter reading that you provide does not match what we expect for your usage we might need to complete a final read for your meter instead. (See our fees and charges). As a result we may adjust your final account review accordingly.

If you’re concerned you’ll forget to take a final meter reading, Powershop can send you a reminder email and/or text to your mobile on your move out date to remind you to take a read. To receive this email and/or text select this option when you login and move house with Powershop.

What happens to my unit balance when I move house with Powershop?

Once Powershop receives your final meter reading a final account review will be completed. If your unit balance for your old property is in credit after this review we’ll then credit the dollar value of these units to your Powershop account balance. If your unit balance for your old property is in arrears, you can either top-up your account or we can complete an auto-purchase on your behalf.

What happens to the power I have purchased in advance i.e. PowerPacks, when I move house with Powershop?

Once Powershop receives your final meter reading a final account review will be completed. If your unit balance is in credit for your old property, after this review we’ll then credit the dollar value of any power you have purchased in advance i.e. PowerPacks, to your Powershop account balance on your new property. If your unit balance is in arrears for your old property, you can either top-up your account or we can complete an auto-purchase on your behalf.

How do I know when the power will be turned on at my new house?

If the previous occupier or electricity supplier has left the power on at your new house, Powershop will switch over your power on the move-in date you have requested.

I’ve moved in and my power is off?

First thing – check that the previous occupier has not turned off the power at the main switch. If you have no luck with this or don’t feel confident attempting it simply give us a call on 0800 462 668 and we’ll help organise the supply of power to your new house. There may be a delay in the supply of power to your house and a reconnection fee (see our fees and charges) if there has been a significant period during which the property has been vacant or if the property was disconnected for some other reason.

Do you send out paper bills in the mail?

No we don't send out paper bills. You can go online at anytime to view and print your account history.

Will you send me out a monthly bill?

No, but we will email you a monthly statement letting you know how much power you’ve used over the month and how much we will debit your account or credit card.

How often will I get a bill and on what date?

Your account will normally be reviewed monthly, usually after a meter read. After your account review we email you to let you know how much power you’ve used, and what the cost of any shortfall will be using your preferred product. You will have the opportunity to purchase power yourself by the day we notify you (a few days after the email), after this we will go ahead and buy as much of your preferred product as you need to cover your usage using your preferred payment method.

Do I have to buy my power in advance?

No, you don't have to buy you power in advance and you can treat Powershop just like you would any other power company. However if you do pay in advance through the online shop you could save more money by picking up special deals and purchasing in bulk.

How do I buy and pay for my power?

How do I buy power?

There are two ways to buy power – buying it yourself or Powershop buying it on your behalf.

Buying for power yourself:
If you want to buy power yourself just log in to the online shop and top up your account with whatever power product deals and specials that take your fancy. In this case we won’t need to send you any bills, but we will email you a receipt after each purchase.

Leaving it up to Powershop to buy your power:
If you want to leave it up to Powershop to buy power on your behalf you don’t need to do anything. Just keep using power as per normal and we’ll send you out a monthly email letting you know how much power you’ve used and how much we will debit your active payment method. 

How do I pay for my power?

There are a number of ways to pay, these are -

By credit card - We accept Visa and Mastercard. You can set this up when you switch to Powershop, and the money will be debited from your credit card when you are billed or when you buy power yourself through the online shop.

By direct debit - You can set this up when you switch to Powershop, and the money will be debited from your bank account when you are billed or when you buy power yourself through the online shop.

By internet banking - You set this up through your bank's website. Choose the power you want from Powershop you then use your bank's bill payment process to make your payment.

By Pago - Ideal if you don’t have a credit card or don’t want to use bank account numbers on the internet. Sign up for Pago here.

By recharge card - You can top-up your account by cash or eftpos card with a Powershop recharge card at any PostShop nationwide. Read more about Recharge Cards.

Your 'active' payment method

You can nominate either direct debit or credit card as your active payment method. We’ll then use this payment method when an auto-payment is created on your account. You can pay for your power in arrears or in advance – it’s up to you. You can choose to pay for power yourself by buying products through the online shop, or you can leave it up to us and we will make purchases for you using your active payment method. Generally, payments are scheduled for 3 days after we have purchased power on your behalf. These are called ‘scheduled payment dates’.

Other payment features

Once your active payment method has been set up, there are a couple of payment features we offer:

• If a scheduled payment date (a payment on your account triggered by Powershop) doesn’t suit, you can change the date through your account. You can do this by logging into the shop and going to 'My Account'. Just click on ‘Move Payment Date’ and follow the instructions. This button will only appear when a payment has been scheduled.
• You can also add a few dollars onto your account without having to buy any products, great for those times when you have some spare dollars you want to use wisely. To do this, just log into your Powershop account and go to ‘My Account’. Then simply click on ‘Add Money’ and fill in the details. Easy.
• If you’d like to set up a regular payment date that coincides with when you get paid, just give us a call.

Will I be charged extra if I pay by credit card?

No you won't be charged extra, there are no credit card transaction or convenience fees.

What happens if my internet is down and I can’t buy power?

You don't need to worry if you can't access the internet to log in to the online shop and pay for your power. Powershop is not a prepay service so your power will not run out or be cut off if you don't have enough pre-purchased power. Just carry on as normal and either wait until you can access the internet so you can buy more power or wait until we send you out a bill after which we will automatically debit your bank account or credit card for the cost of the power that you have used.

What happens if I go on holiday and can’t buy power?

You don't need to worry about going away and not being able to pay for your power. All customers that switch to Powershop are required to either set up a direct debit or credit card with us so we can automatically debit their account to cover any shortfall. If you are away when we review your account we will just make this debit, everything will carry on as normal. You just need to make sure there’s enough funds in there to cover your bill! Or if you prefer you can buy some power before you go on holiday.

Can I pay at any PostShop?

With Powershop, you can top-up your account by cash or eftpos card at any PostShop using a Powershop recharge card. You can put money on to your Powershop account through your recharge card - you can do this to either pay your bill or to buy power in advance.

What is a recharge card and where can I get one?

If you prefer to pay your bills with cash you can use a Powershop recharge card to pay at any NZ PostShop. To get a recharge card you need to either:

• Call us on 0800 IN-CONTROL (462 668) to request a recharge card or
• Send us a message telling us you'd like a recharge card by logging in to your account and going to the ‘Contact Us’ tab (you must have already switched to Powershop to do this)

We aim to have the recharge card to you within three working days.

Can I purchase a recharge card from The Warehouse?

Powershop ran a signup promotion (that included a recharge card) with The Warehouse as part of our initial launch in February 2009. This promotion has now ended and recharge cards are no longer available in The Warehouse.

How do recharge cards work?

When you order a recharge card it will be associated with your account. Every time you go into a PostShop to pay for your Powershop bill or put money on to your Powershop account, you hand over your recharge card and the amount you pay will automatically get credited to your account. The minimum amount you can pay is $25 and the maximum is $1000. Money is not stored on your recharge card, any recharge amounts are simply transferred to your Powershop account (this will normally occur within 15 minutes of payment).

What happens if I use more electricity than what I’ve paid for?

Powershop is not a prepay service so it doesn't matter if you use more electricity that what you have paid for. Next time you top up your account you can cover this shortfall, or you can just wait for us to review your account and debit your preferred payment method.

How do I know which type of power to buy and how much?

You are free to login to the online shop and choose the kind of power you want to buy – from the cheapest to the greenest. There are a few different kinds and it's really up to you which kind you choose - there will be no difference to your actual power supply, but you will notice a difference in price, the time you can use the product, how much power use is covered by the product, and any other benefits associated with the product. If you decide you want to buy your power in advance you can choose how much you want to buy. Buy as much or as little as you like – all our power products have expiry dates so we will warn you if we think you are buying more power than what you can use. For more detail see How does the online shop work?

What does the expiry date on the power product I buy mean?

There are expiry or 'use-by' dates on the types of power products you purchase - this will only affect you if you choose to buy your power in advance. Typically the expiry dates are set to 2-3 months out. We will always warn you if we think you are buying too much, but you don’t need to worry because we’ll always refund you any unused expired units – see our Refund Policy for details.

What happens to expired power?

Once power has expired it can no longer be used, and we’ll refund the dollar value of the expired power immediately to your Powershop account balance.

Why do you have expiry dates?

We have expiry dates to give our suppliers more certainty and reduce their wholesale market price risk, helping Powershop customers access the cheapest prices possible.

Can I get a refund on the power I buy?

If you pay for your power in advance you can get a refund on any purchase, if you act within 48 hours of the time of that purchase. In addition, if you don’t use all the units in an electricity product you buy, we will refund any unused expired units. All money is refunded to your Powershop account (not your bank account or credit card) at the original purchase price. You can refund a purchase by going to the 'Account Statement' page under the 'My Account' tab. You'll find a Refund link next to all of your purchases that are eligible for a refund and you just click on that. For further details of our refund policy see our Refunds page.

Will my power ever be cut off?

We are the same as other retailers and we won't consider cutting your power off unless you have multiple outstanding payments, or repeatedly miss payments.  It is important that you let us know if:

• you or anyone living on your premises depends on electricity for critical medical support such that loss of electricity may well result in loss of life or serious harm; or
• for reasons of age, health or disability, disconnection of electricity would present a clear threat to the health or wellbeing of you or anyone living on your premises; or
• it is genuinely difficult for you or anyone living on your premises to pay your electricity bills because of severe financial instability, whether temporary or permanent.

If this applies to you, let us know when you switch by filling out the section on ‘Vulnerability & Dependency’ when prompted during the signup process.  You can also let us know when you are a customer at any time by logging into your account and selecting the ‘My Settings' section, then select ‘Vulnerability & Dependency', then select ‘yes' and provide details. Alternatively you can email us on admin@powershop.co.nz, or call us on 0800 IN CONTROL (0800 462 668), Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm.

If you find yourself struggling to pay for your power, please let us know as soon as you can so we can avoid having to disconnect you. We can provide you with information on how to manage your electricity payments, or refer you to agencies that can help with budgeting advice and assistance. We also suggest you contact Work and Income by phoning 0800 559 009, as they may be able to provide you with financial assistance.

EA Fact sheet for vulnerable consumers (pdf document)

EA Fact sheet for medically dependent consumers (pdf document)

Do I have to purchase my power in advance to avoid being cut off?

No, Powershop is not a prepay service and there is no requirement to 'stay in the green' in order to keep your power going. We will automatically top up your account each month using your preferred payment method if you have not bought enough power products to cover your usage, so you will not be cut-off if you don't login or you do not buy power during the month.

What happens if I need a continuous supply of electricity?

No electricity retailer can guarantee a continuous supply of electricity.  If you, or anyone else at your property relies on a continuous supply of electricity for critical medical support and if you were cut off it may cause serious harm or loss of life you need to:

• Let us know when you switch by filling out the section on ‘Vulnerability & Dependency’ when prompted during the signup process.  You can also let us know when you are a customer at any time by logging into your account and selecting the ‘My Settings' section, then select ‘Vulnerability & Dependency', then select ‘yes' and provide details. Alternatively you can email us on admin@powershop.co.nz, or call us on 0800 IN CONTROL (0800 462 668), Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm.

• You also need to talk to your GP or specialist to arrange for a backup power supply if there is an outage.

EA Fact sheet for medically dependent consumers (pdf document)

What should I do to protect myself from interruptions to my electricity supply?

Your electricity supply can be interrupted for many reasons, both planned and unplanned. Interruptions to electricity supply include fluctuations in the frequency and/or voltage of supply and surges caused by high-powered electrical appliances. You can also experience surges through your telephone and cable lines.

Because interruptions can be unexpected, we strongly recommend that you minimise the risk of damage to electricity appliances, and especially to sensitive and expensive appliances like computers, televisions, stereos, washing machines and dryers, and heat pumps.

To do this, you can install products such as:

• surge protectors;
• power conditioners;
• UPS (uninterrupted power supply);
• RCDs (residual current devices) and isolating transformers.

Which of these you use depends on your particular circumstances. We recommend you talk to a local electrician or your local electrical outlet to help you choose the best product or combination of products for you. There are also some great online resources that discuss these issues in depth.

If you are at home and there is an interruption to your electricity supply and you either have no electricity, or your supply voltage drops (you usually notice this if your lights dim), we recommend that you switch off all electrical appliances at the wall outlet. This can help prevent damage if there is an electricity surge when the supply is restored. Just leave a light or two on so you know when supply is restored.

We also recommend that you have insurance that covers you for loss or damage due to electricity supply interruptions or fluctuations.

Where does my power come from?

Regardless of which power company you might be with, your power is purchased from the New Zealand Electricity Market (NZEM) and comes from the national grid which transmits power from the various generators from around the country. There is no way of knowing (because it's physically impossible) which source of generation your electricity has come from. Read more about this in our blog Where does my power come from?

Do you use Meridian generated power?

No. There is no possible way that Meridian-generated power can be given preferential treatment over any other power suppliers. The companies that offer you power through Powershop get their power from the national grid - this power could have been generated by any (or all) of the power generation companies in New Zealand.

What happens if there is a power cut, who do I call?

First, check if there is a real emergency, like a live wire, that needs immediate attention?

Keep well clear of any live wires and call us urgently on 0800 IN CONTROL (462 668). We’ll get the Network company on the problem straight away.

What if the power is out but it’s not an emergency?

Check to see if your neighbour’s houses are out too. At night it will be easier to tell; there’ll be no lights. During the day a little bit harder. If your place is the only house affected, you should definitely give us a call. We’ll coordinate with the Network Company and get a fault person to your property as quick as we can. If other houses in your street are out, give it an hour before contacting us. There’s a good chance someone will be on the problem already and it’s just a matter of time before the power is back on.

Check out who to contact for faults and outages in your area below:

Vector customers in Auckland City, Manukau City and northern parts of Papakura:
0508 VECTOR (0508 832 867 - Free call)

Franklin customers:
Call Counties Power 0800 100 202 (Free call)

Waikato customers:
Call WEL Networks 0800 800 935 (Free call)

Rotorua and Hawkes Bay customers:
Call Unison 0800 2 UNISON (0800 286 476 - Free call)

Kapiti and Horowhenua customers:
Call 0800 LOST POWER (0800 567 876 - Free call)

Christchurch customers:
Call 0800 363 9898 (Free call)

Invercargill & Bluff:
Call PowerNet 0800 808 587 (Free call)

Customers in all other areas:
Call 0800 IN CONTROL (0800 462 668 - Free call) Select 1 for faults

It might be a good idea to note the number down and put it somewhere handy.

Who do I call if there is a problem my meter?

In the event of any fault or problem with your meter you call us at our 24 hour 0800 faults service - 0800 IN CONTROL (0800 462 668).

Where can I find out about my obligations to keep trees free from power lines?

The Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003 set out tree owners' obligations for keeping trees free from power lines. Trees or their branches can contact or fall onto power lines and cause power cuts and danger to life. If a tree on your property is encroaching within the hazard area of power lines, or if it is coming close to doing so, a notice will be given to you by the relevant lines company.

The Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003 define when the lines company must give these sorts of notices, and the content of the notices.

If the notice given to you is a "cut and trim" notice and it is the first notice that has been issued by your lines company, then the lines company may perform the cut itself or may meet the cost of that first cut or trim. You will be responsible for meeting the costs of any further cuts of that tree that may be required at a later date unless you tell your lines company you have no interest in the tree.

If you want more information about the Regulations, and in particular, a general description of the dangers posed by contact between trees and electricity lines, an explanation of the distances trees should be from electricity lines, a general description of the dangers of cutting and trimming trees in the vicinity of lines, and a list of offences that tree owners could commit and the penalties associated with them, this information is all required to be on your lines company's internet site. Your invoice identifies who your lines company is.

Will Powershop read my meter and how often?

We read customers' meters on a daily, monthly or bi-monthly basis depending on what area you live in.

For basic meters – meter readers will visit
Auckland, Franklin, Rotorua, Hawkes Bay, Horowhenua, Kapiti, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown, Dunedin, Invercargill (limited areas) and Bluff – Monthly

Waikato, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wanganui, Wairarapa – Bi-monthly

For smart meters – remote readings are taken:
ARC meters – Daily
AMS meters – Monthly

If your meter is located inside your house we will need to arrange access.

Do I have to read my meter myself?

No you don't have to read your meter yourself. We offer you the opportunity to enter your own meter reads online as often as you want so you can track your power usage, but regardless of whether you do this or not we will still read your meter every month (or bi-monthly).

Where is my power meter?

Safety first ! Do not touch any part of your meter.

Common locations for your electricity meter are on a wall on the outside of your house, or inside perhaps in a porch or near the laundry. Meters will generally be located at the point where the power enters your property so look up to see if you can see where the power line comes in from the road.. In some apartment and multi-dwelling buildings, meters will grouped with other tenants’ meters – be sure to identify the correct meter (in some cases you will not be able to access these meters, this just means that your account balance will be estimated between our regular meter readings).

How do I read my meter?

Safety first ! Do not touch any part of your meter.

It is easy! There are two common types of meter...

1. Digital meter: You read a digital meter from left to right – this means that the top reading in this example is 450, and the bottom reading is 1906. You can just ignore the red numbers.

   
   Digital electricity meter example

2. Dial meter: If your dial meter has the 2 top dials in red, ignore them they are for testing purposes only – just read the bottom set of dials. When reading this type of meter, always take the number that the dial has just passed, even though this may not be the closest number to the dial. The reading for the dial meter shown in this example is 0794 (digits that are red or highlighted in red represent decimal places and can be ignored).

   
   Dial electricity meter example

Be safe when you read your meter – if it's up high make sure that you reach it safely and if there are any loose or exposed wires in the cabinet don't touch them, but call an electrician as soon as possible.

Do I have to use the online shop?

No, but if you do you will be able to pick up cheaper power offers, special deals and you'll also start to learn more about your power usage.

How does the shop work, what do I have to do?

The online shop has three main parts to it - your 'Unit Balance', the 'shop' and your 'account history'.

Unit Balance
Your 'Unit Balance' is the first screen you go to when log in. In this screen you can see what your meter readings are - these readings could have been updated by Powershop (after our meter readers have read you meter) or they could be estimates based on the last reading Powershop took and what we estimate your power usage has been since that time. You are free to update these readings yourself to keep things really accurate. Depending on how much power you have bought and used (or are estimated to have used) you will see how many units of power you have either in credit or are in arrears and you can see approximately how many days usage this equates to.

The Shop
If you decide you want to buy power go to the ‘Buy Power’ tab – this is where the ‘shop’ is and you can choose from a number of different power product deals and specials on offer. As you add power products to your cart you can see how many days the purchase will cover you for on the Power Organiser.

Account History
You can see your account history under the ‘My Account’ tab. There’s also great information that graphs your usage over time, how much you’ve spent on power products and what you have bought.

What are ‘power products’?

Power products are basically different blocks of power on offer through Powershop - our products can be for different amounts of power, for use at different times, help support your favourite team or causes, or come with additional benefits. There will be different reasons why you might want to buy different power products - you may want to buy the greenest products, the cheapest, one that supports a certain charity or one that is offered by a particular supplier. You are free to choose as many types of products as you like when you pay for your power.

What are ‘Everyday’ products and how do I use them?

There are a few Everyday products on offer in the shop – these products are the most flexible way to buy power. You can buy as much or as little Everyday power as you want and as often as you want. Everyday power is available for use as soon as you buy it.

What are ‘Green’ products and how do I use them?

A few products on offer through Powershop are ‘green’. Because the electricity that you use in your home or business comes from a mix of sources that you cannot control it’s impossible to use only ‘green’ generated power. What suppliers of 'green' products on Powershop can do is offset the greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generated on your behalf by buying carbon credits effectively reducing your carbon footprint.

What are ‘Specials’ and how do I use them?

Specials are blocks of power that are usually cheaper or support a special cause. A Special will usually be about one week’s worth of power (depending on your power usage or the particular offer) and there may be restrictions on how many times you can purchase that particular Special, for example you may only be able to purchase it once, or only once a week. Specials are a great way to save money on power. It’s worth logging in to the shop frequently to see what’s on special.

What are ‘Powerpacks’ and how do I use them?

Powerpacks are a great way to manage your budget because they allow you to buy power in bulk for the months ahead. From time-to-time there may also be special deals.

A Powerpack is usually power that is set aside for future use, so for example it may be that it can only be used during the winter months of June, July and August. It’s a great way of budgeting and smoothing out the cost of power over the year.

Do I have to buy my power in advance if I use the online shop?

No you don’t have to buy power in advance if you use the online shop and you can treat Powershop just like you would any other power company. However if you do pay in advance through the online shop you could save more money by picking up special deals and purchasing in bulk.

Who do I call if I have problems or questions about the online shop?

If you've got any questions we are here with real people answering the phone on 0800 IN CONTROL (0800 462 668), Monday to Friday, 9am – 9pm.

What happens to my personal information?

We store your personal information on secure servers behind firewalls, so your details are safe and secure as long as you keep your password private. Powershop will not sell, lend, trade or otherwise disclose your personal information to any other person or agency except as set out in our privacy policy.

Are my credit card or bank account details safe?

Yes, we use industry best practices to ensure that your credit card or bank account details are kept at the safest possible levels. For more details see our privacy policy.

What is your privacy policy?

You can read our privacy policy here.

What does it mean if I have more than one meter?

Having more than one meter is generally beneficial - in basic terms it means that one meter is used during peak periods and the other one during off peak times when power is cheaper.

What is a tariff?

A tariff is a pricing structure (in the traditional power retailer sense), determined by the meter set up you have. There are many different names for the various tariffs across the industry. But they will normally indicate a time of use (e.g. Day and Night) or control (e.g. Uncontrolled, Anytime, Economy). Your pricing structure will remain the same if you switch to Powershop.

What does controlled/uncontrolled metering mean?

Controlled meters measure power use for appliances (usually hot water heating) which the local network company is able to switch off for short periods, for example when the demand on their network is high, or when faults or emergencies happen on their network. Usually there is a discounted rate given by the lines charges for allowing this, which is passed on to the customer. Uncontrolled metering simply means that the local network company has no way of ‘controlling’ or switching off appliances or use measured by that meter.

What does day/night metering mean?

Day/ night metering involves two separate meters (or two registers on one meter), one of which measures ‘day’ usage, and one of which measures ‘night’ usage. This is usually beneficial as it allows retailers to measure (and charge lower rates for) your night usage.

What is a smart meter?

Smart meters are a new generation of metering devices which are slowly being installed out by retailers across different regions in New Zealand. They differ from current ‘dumb’ meters by being able to measure consumption accurately across different time periods (e.g. days, nights and weekends) in the one meter. They also have two-way communication abilities to enable remote meter reading, and to enable instructions to be sent to the meter e.g. to remotely disconnect a property. For more information about smart meters see:
EA Smart meters Fact Sheet Aug 2011 (pdf document)

What’s the ‘wholesale market’?

It’s the New Zealand Electricity Market (NZEM). This is a regulated market and is overseen by the Electricity Commission. Generators sell their power into this market and retailers and large industrial users buy their power directly from it. For more information see http://www.electricitycommission.govt.nz/industry.

What do you mean by unit and cents/unit?

The electrical energy consumed by a 1,000 watt (1 kilowatt) appliance in an hour is one kilowatt-hour (kWh). A ‘unit’ is the word we use for one kilowatt hour of power consumption. ‘Cents/ unit’ is the amount of cents each unit (or one kilowatt hour of consumption) will cost.

What’s an ICP number?

Your property has a unique ICP number identifying it on the New Zealand electricity network. You can find this on your current power bill somewhere under the invoice number. It consists of 15 digits – mostly numbers with a few letters at the end.