By Live 24/7 Westpower fault line
Power out in the Westpower network area?
Call Westpower on 0800 768 248, 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 Westpower.
The live network status is at www.westpower.co.nz. Check it first, the cut may already be logged.
Westpower at a glance
The numbers behind your network bill
Connection points (ICPs)
~13,500
Grey + Westland districts
Network conductor
~2,500 km
NZ's wettest network
24/7 fault line
0800 768 248
Free-call
ComCom regulatory path
DPP4 2025-30
Default Price-Quality Path
Where Westpower owns the wires
Coverage: Grey + Westland districts
| Area | Density profile | Network type |
|---|---|---|
| Greymouth + Brunner | Provincial urban + ex-mining | Mixed |
| Hokitika + Lake Kaniere | Small town + lifestyle | Mixed |
| Reefton + Inangahua | Mining + sparse rural | Long overhead |
| Franz Josef + Fox Glacier corridor | Tourism | Overhead, isolated long feeders |
| Haast + south Westland | Very remote rural | Long single-feeder runs |
The role, decoded
What Westpower actually does (and does not do)
Westpower 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 Westpower 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 Westpower 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 Westpower lines charge shows up on your bill
Roughly 30 to 45 per cent of your retail bill is the Westpower 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 Westpower'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 Westpower affects your bill
NZ's wettest distribution network
Westland is one of the wettest places on Earth: 6 to 12 metres of annual rainfall in places. Westpower's overhead infrastructure faces sustained moisture, vegetation overgrowth and slip/flood damage. Reliability statistics look worse than other LCs in raw SAIDI terms, but normalising for weather exposure puts Westpower's reliability close to comparable rural networks.
Mining boom-bust + tourism = swinging demand
Westland's industrial demand profile swings with coal mining cycles (Reefton, Stockton) and dairy intensification. Franz Josef-Fox Glacier tourism contributes high seasonal demand. Westpower's pricing and capex must cope with these multi-decade demand swings on a fixed asset base.
Trust dividends, generous per-capita
Westpower is owned by the Westland Electric Power Trust. Like other small-network trusts, per-customer dividends are relatively generous, typically NZ$200 to $400 per connection in good years. The small customer base concentrates dividend value.
How to reach Westpower
Westpower contact methods, by the reason you are calling
| Reason | Channel | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Power cut, fallen line, network fault | 0800 768 248 | 24/7, free-call |
| Life-threatening hazard | 111, then Westpower | 24/7 |
| Appliance damage claim | Claim form on Westpower site | Online, 4 to 8 week processing |
| Planned outage notification | Live status board | 5 to 10 working days notice |
| Billing question | Your retailer (Westpower does not bill end customers) | Retailer's hours |
| Unresolved complaint | Utilities Disputes (free, independent) | After Westpower's final written answer |
Where your time actually pays
What a Westpower household should actually do
You cannot change who delivers your electricity. You can change what you do about it.
Remote South Westland: multi-day outage planning
Haast and the Fox-Franz corridor sit on very long overhead feeders. Major weather events can take feeders down for days. Generator + battery for fridge and pump is realistic insurance.
Damage claim: equipment failure framing
Frame around equipment failure on restoration. Westpower processes claims via the corporate site.
Verify the trust dividend
Confirm the Westland Electric Power Trust credit is being applied to your account.
The Selectra expert answers
Frequently asked questions about Westpower
Westpower's 24/7 fault line is 0800 768 248, free-call. Use it for any power cut, downed line or fault across Greymouth, Hokitika and the West Coast (excluding Buller). For an immediate hazard, dial 111 first.
Westpower is owned by the Westland Electric Power Trust, a community trust serving consumers in the Westland and Grey districts. The trust distributes annual dividends. The Commerce Commission regulates Westpower's prices through DPP4.
No. Westpower is the regulated monopoly distributor for the Grey and Westland districts. You can switch retailer any day, but the Westpower lines charge is passed through unchanged. North of Westpower is Buller Electricity.
Yes, via Westpower directly (westpower.co.nz). Frame around equipment failure on restoration with photos, receipts and electrician's report.