By Live 24/7 Horizon Networks fault line
Power out in the Horizon Networks network area?
Call Horizon Networks on 0800 367 546, 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 Horizon Networks.
The live network status is at www.horizonnetworks.co.nz. Check it first, the cut may already be logged.
Horizon Networks at a glance
The numbers behind your network bill
Connection points (ICPs)
~25,000
Eastern Bay of Plenty
Network conductor
~3,000 km
Coastal + industrial corridor
24/7 fault line
0800 367 546
Free-call
ComCom regulatory path
DPP4 2025-30
Default Price-Quality Path
Where Horizon Networks owns the wires
Coverage: Whakatane, Kawerau, Opotiki and East Cape coast
| Area | Density profile | Network type |
|---|---|---|
| Whakatane + Ohope | Provincial urban + coastal | Mixed |
| Kawerau township + Tasman pulp & paper mill | Industrial + small town | Heavy-duty industrial feeders |
| Opotiki + Te Kaha (east) | Small town + remote coastal | Long overhead, isolated |
| Murupara + inland forestry | Forestry + sparse rural | Long overhead feeders |
| Rural Bay of Plenty east | Dairy + horticulture | Overhead |
Source: Horizon Networks Asset Management Plan. East transitions to Firstlight Network; west to Powerco.
The role, decoded
What Horizon Networks actually does (and does not do)
Horizon Networks 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 Horizon Networks 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 Horizon Networks 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 Horizon Networks lines charge shows up on your bill
Roughly 30 to 45 per cent of your retail bill is the Horizon Networks 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 Horizon Networks'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 Horizon Networks affects your bill
Kawerau Tasman mill dominates regional demand
The Tasman Pulp and Paper Mill at Kawerau is one of NZ's largest single industrial electricity loads. Horizon Networks' sub-transmission to Kawerau is engineered for this concentrated demand. If you live in Kawerau township, your local feeders share infrastructure with the mill, so reliability planning treats the industrial load as the primary case and residential as secondary.
Volcanic and geothermal hazards baked in
Eastern Bay of Plenty sits in NZ's most active volcanic and geothermal zone. Whakaari (White Island) eruption ash falls, Kawerau geothermal field steam vents, and seismic activity all affect overhead and underground assets. Horizon's capex planning includes ash-fall washing protocols and geothermal corrosion mitigation that other NZ LCs do not need.
Trust-owned with modest consumer dividends
Horizon Networks is owned by the Eastern Bay Energy Trust, which distributes annual dividends to consumers, typically NZ$100 to $250 per connection. The mill's large stable industrial load supports the dividend by anchoring revenue.
How to reach Horizon Networks
Horizon Networks contact methods, by the reason you are calling
| Reason | Channel | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Power cut, fallen line, network fault | 0800 367 546 | 24/7, free-call |
| Life-threatening hazard | 111, then Horizon Networks | 24/7 |
| Appliance damage claim | Claim form on Horizon Networks site | Online, 4 to 8 week processing |
| Planned outage notification | Live status board | 5 to 10 working days notice |
| Billing question | Your retailer (Horizon Networks does not bill end customers) | Retailer's hours |
| Unresolved complaint | Utilities Disputes (free, independent) | After Horizon Networks's final written answer |
Where your time actually pays
What a Horizon Networks household should actually do
You cannot change who delivers your electricity. You can change what you do about it.
Kawerau ICPs: industrial-feeder reliability is the local norm
Reliability statistics on Kawerau township feeders reflect industrial co-load. Outages caused by mill-side equipment events are sometimes mistaken for network faults. Confirm fault direction with Horizon before assuming the network is the cause.
East Cape Te Kaha addresses: multi-day outage planning
Te Kaha and remote Opotiki coastal ICPs are at the very end of long overhead feeders. Multi-day outages after weather are realistic. Generator + battery for fridge and pump is realistic insurance.
Damage claim: equipment failure framing
Frame around equipment failure on restoration. Photos, receipts, outage timestamp, electrician's report. Processing 4 to 8 weeks.
The Selectra expert answers
Frequently asked questions about Horizon Networks
Horizon Networks' 24/7 fault line is 0800 367 546, free-call. Use it for any power cut, downed line or fault across Whakatane, Kawerau, Opotiki and Te Kaha. For an immediate hazard, dial 111 first.
Horizon Networks is owned by the Eastern Bay Energy Trust, a community trust serving consumers in the eastern Bay of Plenty footprint. The trust distributes annual dividends. The Commerce Commission regulates Horizon's prices through DPP4.
The Tasman Pulp and Paper Mill at Kawerau is one of NZ's largest single industrial electricity loads. Horizon's sub-transmission to Kawerau is engineered around this demand. Local feeders are shared between the mill and Kawerau township, which makes reliability profiles slightly different from a pure residential network.
Yes, via Horizon Networks directly (horizonnetworks.co.nz). Frame around equipment failure on restoration. Processing 4 to 8 weeks.
No. Horizon Networks is the regulated monopoly distributor for the eastern Bay of Plenty. You can switch retailer any day, but the Horizon lines charge is passed through unchanged.