By Live 24/7 Nelson Electricity fault line
Power out in the Nelson Electricity network area?
Call Nelson Electricity on 03 546 6699, 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 Nelson Electricity.
The live network status is at www.networktasman.co.nz. Check it first, the cut may already be logged.
Nelson Electricity at a glance
The numbers behind your network bill
Connection points (ICPs)
~8,000
Central Nelson CBD only
Network conductor
~95 km
NZ's smallest LC by line length
24/7 fault line
03 546 6699
Network Tasman handles dispatch
ComCom regulatory path
DPP4 2025-30
Default Price-Quality Path
Where Nelson Electricity owns the wires
Coverage: central Nelson CBD and inner suburbs
| Area | Density profile | Network type |
|---|---|---|
| Nelson CBD + The Wood | High density commercial | Predominantly underground |
| Stoke-Tahunanui inner edge | Suburban | Mixed |
| Atawhai (within Nelson Electricity bound) | Suburban | Mixed |
Source: Nelson Electricity Asset Management Plan. Outer Nelson suburbs and the entire Tasman Bays region are served by Network Tasman.
The role, decoded
What Nelson Electricity actually does (and does not do)
Nelson Electricity 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 Nelson Electricity 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 Nelson Electricity 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 Nelson Electricity lines charge shows up on your bill
Roughly 30 to 45 per cent of your retail bill is the Nelson Electricity 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 Nelson Electricity'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 Nelson Electricity affects your bill
NZ's only CBD-only lines company
Nelson Electricity is the only NZ distributor whose network is restricted essentially to one city's CBD and inner suburbs. With ~8,000 ICPs across ~95 km of conductor, it has the smallest physical network of any NZ LC. The Commerce Commission regulates it the same way as far larger LCs, which means an unusual amount of regulatory administrative cost per customer.
Operated by Network Tasman
Nelson Electricity does not run its own crews, control room or call centre. Network Tasman operates the network under contract, supplying SCADA, dispatch and fault response. Customers calling the fault line reach Network Tasman's control room. Pricing methodology, billing and regulatory reporting remain Nelson Electricity-specific.
Mature underground share
Nelson Electricity's small footprint is predominantly underground, reflecting decades of CBD reticulation upgrades. Weather-driven outages are rare; the dominant outage causes are third-party damage (construction strikes on underground cable) and equipment failure on aging assets. Annual SAIDI is consistently among the best of any NZ LC.
How to reach Nelson Electricity
Nelson Electricity contact methods, by the reason you are calling
| Reason | Channel | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Power cut, fallen line, network fault | 03 546 6699 | 24/7, free-call |
| Life-threatening hazard | 111, then Nelson Electricity | 24/7 |
| Appliance damage claim | Claim form on Nelson Electricity site | Online, 4 to 8 week processing |
| Planned outage notification | Live status board | 5 to 10 working days notice |
| Billing question | Your retailer (Nelson Electricity does not bill end customers) | Retailer's hours |
| Unresolved complaint | Utilities Disputes (free, independent) | After Nelson Electricity's final written answer |
Where your time actually pays
What a Nelson Electricity household should actually do
You cannot change who delivers your electricity. You can change what you do about it.
Construction-strike risk = check before you dig
CBD ICPs sit on underground cable beneath roads and footpaths. Any digging (paving, fence post, tree planting) within a property risks striking a service main. Use the beforeUdig.co.nz service to get plans before any excavation.
Mature network = damage claims are usually accepted on merit
Nelson Electricity's low SAIDI means outages are uncommon. When they happen they are typically equipment failure or third-party strikes, both of which are higher-acceptance claim categories than storm events.
Solar export approval works through Network Tasman
For Nelson Electricity ICPs, distributed generation approvals are processed through Network Tasman's engineering team. The underground CBD network has tight voltage constraints, so inverter sizing above the standard limit often needs an impact assessment.
The Selectra expert answers
Frequently asked questions about Nelson Electricity
Nelson Electricity's fault line is 03 546 6699, handled by Network Tasman's 24/7 control room. Use it for any power cut or fault in central Nelson CBD. For an immediate hazard, dial 111 first.
Historical. Nelson Electricity Limited has always been the CBD-only distributor, with greater Nelson and the Tasman district served separately by Network Tasman (see the coverage notes above). The two LCs remained legally separate even as their operations effectively merged: Network Tasman now operates Nelson Electricity's network under contract.
Mixed council and Network Tasman ownership. The Nelson City Council and Network Tasman together hold the shareholding. The Commerce Commission regulates Nelson Electricity's prices through DPP4.
Yes, the claim goes through Network Tasman as operator. Include photos, receipts, age, outage timestamp and an electrician's report. Equipment-failure surges and third-party-damage claims have high acceptance rates because Nelson Electricity's mature network rarely produces force-majeure storm events.
No. Nelson Electricity is the regulated monopoly distributor for central Nelson CBD. You can switch retailer any day, but the Nelson Electricity lines charge is passed through unchanged. Outer Nelson suburbs are on Network Tasman.