By Live 24/7 Electricity Invercargill fault line
Power out in the Electricity Invercargill network area?
Call Electricity Invercargill on 0800 808 587, 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 Electricity Invercargill.
The live network status is at www.powernet.co.nz. Check it first, the cut may already be logged.
Electricity Invercargill at a glance
The numbers behind your network bill
Connection points (ICPs)
~22,000
Invercargill city
Network conductor
~600 km
Urban-concentrated
24/7 fault line
0800 808 587
PowerNet shared
Network operator
Operated by PowerNet
Day-to-day operations
Where Electricity Invercargill owns the wires
Coverage: Invercargill city
| Area | Density profile | Network type |
|---|---|---|
| Invercargill CBD | Provincial urban + commercial | Mixed, mature |
| Inner suburbs (Waikiwi, Avenal, Newfield) | Urban suburban | Mixed |
| Outer suburbs (Otatara, Kennington) | Suburban edge | Mostly overhead |
The role, decoded
What Electricity Invercargill actually does (and does not do)
Electricity Invercargill 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 Electricity Invercargill 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 Electricity Invercargill 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 Electricity Invercargill lines charge shows up on your bill
Roughly 30 to 45 per cent of your retail bill is the Electricity Invercargill 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 Electricity Invercargill'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 Electricity Invercargill affects your bill
Run by PowerNet, not by EIL's own staff
Electricity Invercargill is a separate licensed distributor on paper but its day-to-day operations (crews, control room, SCADA, fault response, billing administration) are delivered by PowerNet under a long-running management contract. PowerNet also operates OtagoNet and The Power Company, so three legally distinct LCs share infrastructure, processes and a shared fault line.
Tiwai smelter looms over the regional grid context
The Tiwai Point aluminium smelter at nearby Bluff (on the Southland transmission grid, not directly on EIL's distribution) consumes around 13 per cent of NZ's entire electricity output. While Tiwai is not connected to EIL's network, its possible closure or contraction reshapes the entire Southland grid economics, including EIL's share of transmission costs passed through to consumers.
Council-and-trust ownership
EIL is owned by Invercargill City Holdings and the Southland Electric Power Supply Consumer Trust. Dividends flow to both shareholders, partly to council rates relief and partly to consumer rebates. The specific dividend mechanics differ from pure trust-owned LCs.
How to reach Electricity Invercargill
Electricity Invercargill contact methods, by the reason you are calling
| Reason | Channel | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Power cut, fallen line, network fault | 0800 808 587 | 24/7, free-call |
| Life-threatening hazard | 111, then Electricity Invercargill | 24/7 |
| Appliance damage claim | Claim form on Electricity Invercargill site | Online, 4 to 8 week processing |
| Planned outage notification | Live status board | 5 to 10 working days notice |
| Billing question | Your retailer (Electricity Invercargill does not bill end customers) | Retailer's hours |
| Unresolved complaint | Utilities Disputes (free, independent) | After Electricity Invercargill's final written answer |
Where your time actually pays
What a Electricity Invercargill household should actually do
You cannot change who delivers your electricity. You can change what you do about it.
PowerNet handles dispatch: same number for all three southern LCs
EIL, OtagoNet and TPC all share the 0800 808 587 fault line. Mention your ICP and address so PowerNet routes the dispatch correctly.
Tiwai context: monitor announced changes
Any Tiwai exit or contraction reshapes regional electricity economics for years. Major retailer or network pricing shifts after a Tiwai announcement are realistic.
Damage claim: equipment failure framing
Frame around equipment failure on restoration with photos, receipts and electrician's report.
The Selectra expert answers
Frequently asked questions about Electricity Invercargill
EIL's 24/7 fault line is 0800 808 587, handled by PowerNet. Use it for any power cut, downed line or fault in Invercargill city. For an immediate hazard, dial 111 first.
The lines company is Electricity Invercargill Limited (EIL), a separately licensed distributor. Day-to-day operations (crews, control room, SCADA, billing administration) are delivered by PowerNet under a management contract. PowerNet also operates OtagoNet and The Power Company.
EIL is owned by Invercargill City Holdings and the Southland Electric Power Supply Consumer Trust. The Commerce Commission regulates EIL's prices through DPP4.
The Tiwai Point aluminium smelter is not on EIL's distribution network (it connects directly to Transpower), but it consumes about 13 per cent of NZ's total electricity. Any Tiwai exit or contraction reshapes wholesale electricity prices, transmission cost recovery and ultimately retail tariffs across the country. Southland feels these shifts most acutely.
No. EIL is the regulated monopoly distributor for Invercargill city. You can switch retailer any day, but the EIL lines charge is passed through unchanged. Outside Invercargill city the network transitions to The Power Company (Southland rural) or OtagoNet (south Otago); both are covered in their dedicated guides linked above.