Company Milestones

2004 - Aurora bids for Network Waitaki’s assets and business. Owners reject bid.

2003 - Dunedin Electricity is renamed Aurora Energy Ltd.

2002 - Dunedin Electricity launches a public consultation webpage for its Asset Management Plan.

Dunedin Electricity is the under-bidder Otago Power’s assets and business. Control of Otago Power passes out of the region.

Dunedin Electricity launches an interactive Demand Management programme for large consumers.

Dunedin Electricity introduces another world's first - public internet access to distribution equipment plans and records.

2001 - To meet Government requirements, Dunedin Electricity introduces residential line charges that limit the average "fixed" component to 10% of the total.

2000 - For the third year in a row, Ernst & Young ranks Dunedin Electricity as New Zealand's most effective network company.

1999 - Dunedin Electricity maintains its no.1 ranking for line business performance in the annual survey of electricity retailers.

Dunedin Electricity purchases the line business assets of Central Electric Ltd, becoming New Zealand's 5th largest line business.

For the second year in a row, Ernst & Young ranks Dunedin Electricity as New Zealand's most effective network company.

1998 - Dunedin Electricity's owner sells its shares in Waipori Power and United Electricity, effecting full ownership separation of line and energy activities.

DELTA Utility Services Ltd is formed, to separate competitive asset servicing activities from Dunedin Electricity's regulated delivery business.

The "Electricity Industry Reform Act" is passed, requiring ownership separation of "wires" and "supply" businesses.

1997 - Dunedin Electricity anticipates industry restructuring, and sells its shareholding in retailer United Electricity to generator Waipori Power.

Dunedin Electricity facilitates New Zealand's first retail competition pilot and launches public internet access to delivery charges.

Ernst & Young report ranks Dunedin Electricity as New Zealand's most effective network company, based on a mix of ten parameters.

1996 - Dunedin Electricity is the first New Zealand electricity distributor to launch an internet website.
Waipori operations achieve ISO9002 certification.

1995 - First industry Information Disclosure reveals Dunedin Electricity as the nation’s second most profitable network company, and on the "best practice frontier" for cost/reliability.

Dunedin Electricity Network Management systems quality certified to ISO9002.

1993 - United Electricity Ltd, the world's first independent electricity retailer, is formed by Dunedin Electricity and Electricity Invercargill Ltd.

Dunedin Electricity wins a national marketing award for its management of the 1992 hydro crisis (see below).

1992 - Dunedin Electricity places second in its category in the Deloitte Top200 Companies awards.

Pacific Energy Ltd, New Zealand's first wholesale energy trader, is formed by Dunedin Electricity, EnergyDirect (Wellington), Valley Power (North Island) and Waitemata Electricity (Auckland).

The Energy Companies Act requires all electricity activities of local government to be corporatised; also officially endorses the earlier corporatisation of Dunedin Electricity & Waipori Power Generation in 1990.

A national emergency is declared during June & July due to low hydro inflows. Almost all power companies ration supply by severely curtailing water heating. Dunedin Electricity pays its customers to reduce demand and sells the energy savings at spot prices; Dunedin Electricity exceeds the requested reductions solely from such voluntary consumer reductions.

Dunedin Electricity introduces "service failure" payments to consumers for power interruptions longer than eight hours.

1990 - DCC electricity generation and distribution are separately corporatised, as Dunedin Electricity Ltd and Waipori Power Generation Ltd respectively. Commercial Directors comprise a majority of the Boards.

1989 - Dunedin City Council appoints external "Directors" to assist the Management Board of its Electricity Department.