By Live 24/7 Centralines fault line
Power out in the Centralines network area?
Call Centralines on 0800 11 22 88, 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 Centralines.
The live network status is at www.centralines.co.nz. Check it first, the cut may already be logged.
Centralines at a glance
The numbers behind your network bill
Connection points (ICPs)
~9,000
Central Hawke's Bay
Network conductor
~1,400 km
Rural farm country
24/7 fault line
0800 11 22 88
Free-call
ComCom regulatory path
DPP4 2025-30
Default Price-Quality Path
Where Centralines owns the wires
Coverage: Central Hawke's Bay (Waipukurau + Waipawa)
| Area | Density profile | Network type |
|---|---|---|
| Waipukurau + Waipawa | Small town + dairy service centre | Mixed |
| Central Hawke's Bay rural | Sheep, beef, dairy | Long overhead feeders |
| Tukituki + Porangahau coastal | Sparse rural + coast | Overhead, storm exposure |
The role, decoded
What Centralines actually does (and does not do)
Centralines 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 Centralines 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 Centralines 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 Centralines lines charge shows up on your bill
Roughly 30 to 45 per cent of your retail bill is the Centralines 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 Centralines'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 Centralines affects your bill
Squeezed between Unison and Powerco
Centralines sits between Unison Networks (Hawke's Bay coast) and Powerco (Wairarapa). Despite the proximity, Centralines has remained independent and trust-owned, with its own pricing methodology and crew dispatch. The footprint covers the inland Central Hawke's Bay farm country between Hastings and the Manawatu boundary.
Cyclone Gabrielle damage was severe
The February 2023 cyclone caused significant damage to Centralines' rural feeders, particularly in the lower-lying parts of the Tukituki catchment. Restoration in some rural areas took weeks. Resilience capex flows through the network charge under DPP4.
Modest trust dividends
Centralines is owned by the Centralines Consumer Trust, which distributes annual dividends to consumers. The small customer base limits dividend size compared with larger LCs, but the credit is reliably applied.
How to reach Centralines
Centralines contact methods, by the reason you are calling
| Reason | Channel | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Power cut, fallen line, network fault | 0800 11 22 88 | 24/7, free-call |
| Life-threatening hazard | 111, then Centralines | 24/7 |
| Appliance damage claim | Claim form on Centralines site | Online, 4 to 8 week processing |
| Planned outage notification | Live status board | 5 to 10 working days notice |
| Billing question | Your retailer (Centralines does not bill end customers) | Retailer's hours |
| Unresolved complaint | Utilities Disputes (free, independent) | After Centralines's final written answer |
Where your time actually pays
What a Centralines household should actually do
You cannot change who delivers your electricity. You can change what you do about it.
Long-feeder rural ICPs: standard-user tariff often beats low-user
With the low-user fixed cap phasing out by 2027, rural Centralines ICPs with modest consumption often benefit from the standard-user tariff. Re-check the comparison annually.
Damage claim post-cyclone: equipment failure on restoration
Centralines, like every NZ distributor, rejects pure force-majeure claims. Frame around equipment failure on re-energisation with photos, receipts and electrician's report.
Verify the trust dividend
Confirm via your retailer that the Centralines Consumer Trust credit is being applied to your account.
The Selectra expert answers
Frequently asked questions about Centralines
Centralines' 24/7 fault line is 0800 11 22 88, free-call. Use it for any power cut, downed line or fault across Central Hawke's Bay. For an immediate hazard, dial 111 first.
Centralines is owned by the Centralines Consumer Trust, a community trust serving consumers in the Central Hawke's Bay footprint. The Commerce Commission regulates Centralines' prices through DPP4.
Significantly. The February 2023 cyclone caused major damage to rural feeders, particularly in the Tukituki catchment. Restoration in some rural areas took weeks. Resilience capex flows through the network charge under DPP4.