Business power in the Waikato: what sets your price

Which lines company covers my business in the Waikato?

Six lines companies serve the Waikato. Which one you're on depends on the town, and it shapes your price structure.

The Lines Company's network carries on south into Taumarunui and Ohakune, in the Manawatū-Whanganui region. WEL connects more than 102,000 customers, and Waipā Networks about 30,000.

How do Waikato networks charge businesses?

Each network sets its own windows and rules:

• WEL Networks treats connections under 110 kVA as small customers. Large customers pay for their nominated capacity (kVA) and an excess demand charge in any month they exceed it. They also pay a peak demand charge on the average of their six highest half-hour readings during WEL's peak periods: weekdays from 7:00 to 9:30am and 5:30 to 8:00pm.
• Waipā Networks puts sites of 70 kVA and above, with commercial time-of-use metering, on contract pricing. That means a minimum monthly kVA charge, extra charges if demand rises, and a 12-month reset period if demand falls. Peak is 7:00 to 9:30am and 5:30 to 8:00pm.
• Powerco groups businesses by fuse size or installed capacity. From 2026, sites of 200 to 299 kVA pay a consistent demand charge. Sites of 300 kVA and above are priced individually on their dedicated assets and contribution to peak demand. Peak in most areas is 7 to 11am and 5 to 9pm on weekdays. The North Coromandel, served by the Coromandel, Whitianga and Tairua substations, has its own pricing subregion because its network gets heavy use at weekends and in holiday periods.
• Unison (Taupō) has eight commercial brackets by fuse size. Larger commercial sites pay on their anytime maximum demand and their maximum demand in the on-peak period each month.
• The Lines Company prices by capacity band (15, 30, 70 and 150 kVA) and by network density. Its "general" category covers pumps, sheds and dairy sheds.

What changed in 2026?

Transmission costs are rising. Powerco's transmission charges across its networks went from $110.8 million to $130.1 million for 2026/27, and its prices in the Thames Valley area rose 9.3% on average (7.2% for commercial, 10.2% for industrial connections; Tauranga's rose less). Waipā Networks raised target revenue by 6.16% to $58.4 million. Its transmission charges rose 9.8% to $14.7 million, after a 74% jump the year before when the new Hautapu grid exit point was commissioned.

Do Waikato businesses get money back?

The trust-owned networks return money directly:

• WEL Networks will pay a discount of 9.36% of each eligible connection's lines charges from 1 March 2026 to 28 February 2027. It is capped at $248 plus GST per connection and $16.29 million in total. Connections must be active and non-vacant at 5pm on 31 March 2027, and payment is forecast for April 2027.
• Waipā Networks has budgeted $6.47 million in customer discounts for 2026/27, paid in two instalments on eligible customers' power bills.
• The Lines Company pays a winter (May) and summer (December) discount to Waitomo Energy Services Customer Trust customers.

What's happening on the Waikato grid?

Hamilton is growing into its supply. WEL forecasts 142 MVA of demand at the Hamilton 33 kV grid exit point in 2026, against a firm capacity of 132 MVA. WEL is working with Transpower on more capacity there and shifting load to the Huntly grid exit point. Near Cambridge, a new Hautapu grid exit point and Waipā Networks zone substation were commissioned in 2025, taking about 11 MW of existing Cambridge load.

Transpower's Waikato and upper North Island region, which also takes in Auckland, carries nearly 40% of national demand. More than 1,000 MW of generation there has closed since 2012, and Transpower flags the possible retirement of the remaining Rankine units at the Huntly power station.

What kind of load shapes the Waikato?

It depends on the area. Powerco describes its Valley area as dominated by tourism on the Coromandel and farming across the eastern and southern Waikato. Its largest industrial customer is the Kinleith pulp and paper plant near Tokoroa. Unison says Taupō has a strong tourism focus, a large share of holiday homes, and industry centred on timber and dairy.

Natural gas reaches parts of the Waikato through the Firstgas network, and the Maui pipeline ends at the Huntly power station. Our guide to New Zealand's gas supply explains what the decline means for business gas users, and our business gas and LPG page covers the options.

Running sites on more than one Waikato network? Send us a bill from each and we'll line up the peak windows and demand charges side by side before comparing business electricity rates for each connection.