By Live 24/7 Alpine Energy fault line
Power out in the Alpine Energy network area?
Call Alpine Energy on 0800 425 7463, 24 hours a day. Your retailer cannot dispatch a crew. For a fallen line, sparks or any fire risk, dial 111 first, stay at least 8 metres clear, then ring Alpine Energy.
The live network status is at www.alpineenergy.co.nz. Check it first, the cut may already be logged.
Alpine Energy at a glance
The numbers behind your network bill
Connection points (ICPs)
~32,000
South Canterbury + Mackenzie
Network conductor
~5,000 km
Alpine + irrigation country
24/7 fault line
0800 425 7463
0800 ALPINE
ComCom regulatory path
DPP4 2025-30
Default Price-Quality Path
Where Alpine Energy owns the wires
Coverage: South Canterbury, Mackenzie Basin and Waimate
| Area | Density profile | Network type |
|---|---|---|
| Timaru city + Washdyke | Provincial urban + light industrial | Mixed |
| Geraldine + Pleasant Point | Small town + dairy | Overhead |
| Fairlie + Mackenzie basin | Sparse rural, irrigation-heavy | Overhead, long feeders |
| Twizel + Tekapo | Tourism + hydro corridor | Mixed, alpine exposure |
| Waimate + south Canterbury rural | Dairy + irrigation | Overhead |
Source: Alpine Energy Asset Management Plan and Commerce Commission Information Disclosure. North of Rakaia transitions to EA Networks; south to Network Waitaki.
The role, decoded
What Alpine Energy actually does (and does not do)
Alpine Energy is a regulated electricity distributor: poles, wires, transformers, substations and the crews that maintain them. It is not a generator and not a retailer.
What Alpine Energy owns and operates
- · Sub-transmission lines from Transpower grid exit points (GXPs).
- · 11kV and 22kV distribution feeders across the service area.
- · Distribution transformers and pillar boxes on your street.
- · Low-voltage service mains to your meter.
- · The 24/7 control room, fault crews and SCADA operations.
- · Network connection approvals (new builds, solar export, large EV chargers).
What Alpine Energy does not do
- · Generate the electricity (gentailers and independents do).
- · Set the c/kWh rate on your bill (your retailer does).
- · Send you a monthly bill or take direct debits.
- · Own your smart meter: most are run by independent metering equipment providers (Intellihub, SmartCo, Metrix).
- · Manage retail plans, fixed terms or loyalty credits.
The hidden 30 to 45 per cent
How the Alpine Energy lines charge shows up on your bill
Roughly 30 to 45 per cent of your retail bill is the Alpine Energy lines pass-through, collected by your retailer and paid through. It has a fixed daily component, a variable energy component, and a time-of-use overlay.
| Component | Standard user | Low user | What drives it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed daily charge | ~80 to 130 c/day | ~15 to 30 c/day (capped by regulation) | Capacity, sub-network |
| Variable energy charge | ~7 to 12 c/kWh | ~10 to 18 c/kWh (low-user offset phasing out) | Volume + time-of-use window |
| Peak ToU multiplier | Up to ~2x on winter weekday peaks | Same multiplier applies | Cold-evening grid stress (~7-9am, 5-9pm winter) |
Indicative ranges drawn from Alpine Energy's Pricing Methodology and Commerce Commission Information Disclosure. Exact c/day and c/kWh depend on your ICP's sub-pricing zone. Always check the lines-charge line item on your own bill.
What most pages will not tell you
Three structural facts that change how Alpine Energy affects your bill
Mixed ownership: a council and a trust
Alpine Energy has an unusual ownership structure: Timaru District Holdings (40 per cent), Alpine Energy Consumer Trust (47.5 per cent), and a small private holding. Dividends flow partly to the council (which uses them to offset rates) and partly to the trust (which distributes to consumers). The trust dividend tends to be modest, reflecting the split.
Irrigation load dominates summer demand
South Canterbury is one of NZ's most irrigation-intensive regions. Mackenzie Basin and Waimate irrigation pumps draw enormous load during the December-March growing season, much of it on long rural feeders. Alpine's sub-transmission has been progressively upgraded to support this concentrated seasonal demand.
Small hydro generator on-network
Alpine Energy operates small hydro generation assets within its footprint, an unusual configuration for a lines company under post-1990s electricity reforms. The generation contributes to local supply reliability and offsets some Transpower transmission costs that would otherwise be passed through.
How to reach Alpine Energy
Alpine Energy contact methods, by the reason you are calling
| Reason | Channel | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Power cut, fallen line, network fault | 0800 425 7463 | 24/7, free-call |
| Life-threatening hazard | 111, then Alpine Energy | 24/7 |
| Appliance damage claim | Claim form on Alpine Energy site | Online, 4 to 8 week processing |
| Planned outage notification | Live status board | 5 to 10 working days notice |
| Billing question | Your retailer (Alpine Energy does not bill end customers) | Retailer's hours |
| Unresolved complaint | Utilities Disputes (free, independent) | After Alpine Energy's final written answer |
Where your time actually pays
What a Alpine Energy household should actually do
You cannot change who delivers your electricity. You can change what you do about it.
Irrigation-active addresses: ask Alpine about agricultural ToU plans
If your ICP is on an irrigation feeder, the standard residential ToU may not be the optimal billing structure. Alpine Energy publishes specific irrigation network tariffs. Make sure your retailer is passing through the right Alpine pricing zone for an irrigation load profile.
Mackenzie + Tekapo: snow/frost outage planning
Alpine ICPs in the Mackenzie Basin sit on long overhead lines through high-frost country. Snow load, ice on conductors and wind shear are realistic causes of multi-day outages. A small generator or battery for the fridge and well-pump is realistic insurance.
Solar export on long irrigation feeders: voltage rise
High solar export onto long rural feeders causes voltage rise that Alpine must manage. Get the network approval letter before signing the installer contract for any system above the standard inverter limit, particularly in Mackenzie Basin and Waimate irrigation country.
The Selectra expert answers
Frequently asked questions about Alpine Energy
Alpine Energy's 24/7 fault line is 0800 425 7463 (0800 ALPINE), free-call. Use it for any power cut, downed line or fault across South Canterbury and Mackenzie Basin. For an immediate hazard, dial 111 first.
Alpine Energy has a mixed-ownership structure: Timaru District Holdings (40 per cent), the Alpine Energy Consumer Trust (47.5 per cent), and minority private holdings. Trust dividends flow to consumers; council dividends offset Timaru District rates. The Commerce Commission regulates Alpine's prices through DPP4.
Yes. Alpine Energy operates small hydro generation within its network footprint. This is unusual under post-1990s electricity reforms which generally separated generation from distribution. The local generation contributes to supply reliability and offsets some Transpower transmission costs.
South Canterbury is one of NZ's most irrigation-intensive regions. The Mackenzie Basin and Waimate irrigation schemes draw enormous load during the summer growing season. Alpine's sub-transmission and feeder capacity is sized for this concentrated seasonal demand, with specific agricultural network tariff classes that differ from residential.
Yes, via Alpine Energy directly (alpineenergy.co.nz). Frame around equipment failure on restoration; include photos, receipts, outage timestamp and an electrician's report. Processing 4 to 8 weeks.
No. Alpine Energy is the regulated monopoly distributor for South Canterbury and Mackenzie Basin. You can switch retailer any day, but the Alpine lines charge is passed through unchanged.