End high power prices now

Back our four-point plan and help us fight for cheaper power.  

Sign the petition

Tell the government power bills must come down

Electricity prices have surged 20% in just two years.  

This is seriously impacting everyday New Zealanders. Over half of households are concerned about the cost of their power bill. In the past year, a quarter of households struggled to pay their power bill. 

Meanwhile, the major electricity companies’ latest combined half-year profits were more than half a billion dollars.  

It’s time to shake up the electricity market, stop the endless price rises and put people ahead of profits. See what we’re calling for.  

Please sign and share our petition today.  

What we’re calling for 

We need four things to happen to bring prices down. 

  1. End the dominance of the big four power companies: ensure separation of generation (making power) and retail (selling power) so smaller power companies can compete, which should lead to lower prices and more choice for consumers. 

  2. Make power prices reflect real costs: sort out the market so we stop paying high fossil fuel prices for cheaper renewable energy.  

  3. Invest in more homegrown energy: so we have enough power for years with less rainfall and reduce our reliance on expensive coal and gas. 

  4. Set a long-term plan together: develop a cross-party energy strategy to put affordable power ahead of politics and vested interests. 

Before the election, we’ll present this petition to parliament to put pressure on politicians to act. 

High prices are hurting people

In the year to April 2026: 

  • 25% of households struggled to pay their power bills 
  • Over 30,000 households had their power cut because they couldn't afford to pay their bills
  • One in 10 people took out a loan to pay a power bill     

Last winter:

  • 19% of households cut back on food or other essentials to afford their power bill
  • One in five households went to bed early just to stay warm 

In a country with mostly cheap renewable electricity, this should not be happening.  

People want change

  • 57% of New Zealanders are concerned about the cost of their household’s energy.
  • 83% of people think power companies are not fairly regulated  
  • 55% of people say energy issues will affect how they vote. 

Let's send a message to politicians: power prices must come down.  

Sign the petition

How to fix New Zealand’s electricity market

1. End the dominance of the big four power companies

Four “gentailers”, companies that both generate and sell electricity, control about 90% of New Zealand’s electricity market. It has proven hard for new electricity retailers to enter the market, and the lack of competition keeps prices high. Genuine separation of generation and retail would give independent retailers a real chance to compete – and power companies would have to fight for customers. 

2. Make power prices reflect real costs

Every half hour, generators offer to sell electricity at a set price. The system operator, Transpower, accepts offers from cheapest to most expensive until there’s enough power to meet demand. But there’s a catch: all generators get paid the same price – the price of the most expensive offer accepted. 

So when a costly gas or coal plant is needed to meet demand, it sets the price for everyone. That means gentailers selling cheap hydro and wind power also receive that high price. Consumers end up paying prices that are mostly being set by high-cost fossil fuel generation, even though the majority of our electricity comes from low-cost renewable sources. This needs to change. 

3. Invest in more homegrown energy

New Zealand relies heavily on hydro power, but some years bring less rain and snow, leaving lakes and rivers too low to fully replenish our dams. These are called dry years, meaning there isn’t enough water to generate hydroelectricity to meet demand. 

Our current system doesn’t have an adequate backup, so, the risk of future shortages pushes prices up – even in years when there’s plenty of rain.  

We need a better backup for dry years that invests in more homegrown energy from our abundant solar, wind and geothermal resources. This would lower prices and strengthen our energy security. 

4. Set a long-term plan together

Constant flip-flopping in energy policy, with each change of government, creates uncertainty. The lack of a consistent and long-term plan slows investment and innovation, ultimately hurting consumers. We need a long-term, cross-party energy strategy.