By Live 24/7 The Lines Company fault line
Power out in the The Lines Company network area?
Call The Lines Company 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 The Lines Company.
The live network status is at www.thelinescompany.co.nz. Check it first, the cut may already be logged.
The Lines Company at a glance
The numbers behind your network bill
Connection points (ICPs)
~24,000
King Country + Ruapehu
Network conductor
~3,300 km
Mountain + lake country
24/7 fault line
0800 367 546
Free-call
Pricing methodology
Capacity-based pricing
Unique to TLC in NZ
Where The Lines Company owns the wires
Coverage: King Country and Ruapehu
| Area | Density profile | Network type |
|---|---|---|
| Te Kuiti | Provincial town | Mixed |
| Taumarunui + Ongarue | Small town + rural | Overhead |
| Ohakune + Raetihi (Ruapehu) | Alpine + ski tourism | Mostly overhead, snow exposure |
| Tongariro corridor | Tourism + DOC concessions | Overhead |
| King Country rural | Sheep, beef, dairy | Long overhead feeders |
The role, decoded
What The Lines Company actually does (and does not do)
The Lines Company 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 The Lines Company 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 The Lines Company 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 The Lines Company lines charge shows up on your bill
Roughly 30 to 45 per cent of your retail bill is the The Lines Company 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 The Lines Company'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 The Lines Company affects your bill
NZ's most controversial pricing methodology
The Lines Company is the only NZ distributor billing on capacity (kVA) rather than consumption (kWh). The capacity-based model is meant to reward small-time users and align cost with the actual driver of network investment, but it has drawn sustained public criticism from low-use rural customers (small-house retirees, occasional-use baches) who pay materially more under capacity pricing than they would under consumption pricing. Court challenges and Commerce Commission scrutiny have flowed from the model.
A trust-owned monopoly with active public debate
TLC is owned by the King Country Energy Trust. Trust dividends are paid back to consumers but have been criticised by some consumer advocates as insufficient compensation for the capacity-pricing model. The trust governs TLC via elected trustees and trust elections in the King Country are unusually contested by NZ standards.
Alpine + tourism + forestry: heavy seasonal swings
Ohakune and the Ruapehu ski corridor bring intense June-October seasonal demand. Forestry harvesting in the King Country creates concentrated industrial load. TLC's capacity pricing model especially pinches part-year residents (bach owners in Ohakune) who pay capacity charges year-round for a connection used only a few months.
How to reach The Lines Company
The Lines Company 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 The Lines Company | 24/7 |
| Appliance damage claim | Claim form on The Lines Company site | Online, 4 to 8 week processing |
| Planned outage notification | Live status board | 5 to 10 working days notice |
| Billing question | Your retailer (The Lines Company does not bill end customers) | Retailer's hours |
| Unresolved complaint | Utilities Disputes (free, independent) | After The Lines Company's final written answer |
Where your time actually pays
What a The Lines Company household should actually do
You cannot change who delivers your electricity. You can change what you do about it.
Part-year residents (baches, holiday homes): understand the capacity bill
TLC bills on connected kVA capacity. A bach used six weekends a year still pays the capacity charge for all 52 weeks. Some part-year residents downgrade the capacity rating to the lowest available tier when not in use.
Verify your kVA rating is appropriate
TLC capacity ratings can be reduced by request if your peak load is lower than your registered capacity. A registered electrician can confirm your actual peak draw, which may support a lower rating and lower bill.
Trust dividend: verify on account
Confirm the King Country Energy Trust credit is being applied to your account each year.
The Selectra expert answers
Frequently asked questions about The Lines Company
The Lines Company's 24/7 fault line is 0800 367 546, free-call. Use it for any power cut, downed line or fault across the King Country (Te Kuiti, Taumarunui) and Ruapehu (Ohakune, Raetihi). For an immediate hazard, dial 111 first.
TLC is the only NZ distributor billing primarily on capacity (kVA) rather than consumption (kWh). The capacity model is intended to better align cost recovery with network-driver demand peaks, but it has drawn sustained criticism from low-use rural consumers and bach owners who pay materially more than they would on consumption pricing. The Commerce Commission has scrutinised the methodology multiple times.
The Lines Company is owned by the King Country Energy Trust, a community trust serving consumers in the King Country and Ruapehu footprint. The trust distributes annual dividends. Trust elections in the region are unusually contested. The Commerce Commission regulates TLC's prices through DPP4.
Because TLC charges on capacity, not consumption. A holiday home used a few weeks a year pays the capacity rating fee for all 52 weeks. Some part-year owners ask TLC to downgrade the capacity rating when not in use, which can materially lower the annual bill.
No. The Lines Company is the regulated monopoly distributor for the King Country and Ruapehu. You can switch retailer any day, but the TLC lines charge (on capacity) is passed through unchanged.