Resetting the Greenfields Negotiated Electricity Connection Customer Service Standards 2023

Updated reporting requirements

On 24 July 2024, we updated our direction to distribution businesses to report against their revised Greenfields Negotiated Electricity Connection Customer Service Standards (standards). 

On 21 December 2023, the Minister for Energy made a Ministerial Order specifying several performance reporting metrics related to negotiated connections as enforceable. These enforceable metrics were based on the performance reporting framework component of the standards.

Our new reporting direction aligned the reporting timeframes of the standards with the reporting timeframes of the Ministerial Order. 

This direction also specified the manner and form in which electricity distributors must report to us on the performance reporting required under section 7(3)(c) of the Ministerial Order.

Reporting must be made to the commission every six months for the periods:

• 1 January to 30 June – reporting due by 31 August that year.
• 1 July to 31 December – reporting due 31 March the following year.
   

Templates and letters specifying the updated reporting directions to electricity distributors can be found in the resources tab.
 

Previous reporting requirements

On 27 March 2023, we made a final decision directing distribution businesses to report on their performance against revised Greenfields Negotiated Electricity Connection Customer Service Standards when working with developers and contractors to connect new housing developments to electricity.

We first directed distributors to report against the Greenfields Negotiated Electricity Connection Customer Service Standards in March 2021.

Distribution businesses are required to report to the commission every six months for the regulatory period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2026.

The customer service standards include:

• an overarching customer outcomes statement setting out what a distribution business expects to deliver over the next three years in relation to negotiated connections
• a requirement to form a consultative committee that meets regularly to discuss improvements in negotiated connection processes
• a performance reporting framework that distribution businesses are to report against every six months.

View reports against the customer service standards

Distribution business report against their customer service standards can be found on our reporting page.