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Frequently Asked Questions
Power Problems
- How do I report power faults?
- How do I complain about poor service?
- Why does my hot water run cold sometimes?
- How do I know if the meter is correct?
About Aurora
Charges
- Why is electricity so expensive?
- What is an ICP number?
- What are "line charges"?
- Why are some line charges "fixed"?
- Why isn't "nightstore" electric heating cheap any more?
Getting Connected
Technical
Trees
Underground Supply
- How do I locate underground cables before digging?
- Why aren't all power lines put underground?
- Can I have the power lines outside my property put underground?
How do I report power faults?
Phone your retailer. Their phone number is listed on your power account, and they have large call-centres to deal with the hundreds of phone calls that can result from a power interruption. We keep them informed of progress in identifying and fixing faults on our network, so that they will be able to advise their customers. Aurora maintains a fault number (listed in the front of the telephone directory) but this will be overwhelmed in an interruption.
Please do not ring it unless you can tell us where the fault is.
How do I complain about poor service?
If the complaint is about Aurora's service, phone 0800 4DELTA or phone your retailer - their phone number is listed on your power account, and they will contact Aurora for you.
For more information about Aurora’s complaints process, click here.
If the complaint is about your retailer then contact:
The Electricity & Gas Complaints Commission
Phone: 0800 22 33 40
Fax: 0800 22 33 47
Email: info@egcomplaints.co.nz
Postal: PO Box 6144, Wellington.
Why does my hot water run cold sometimes?
This happens when the hot water is used faster than it is heated, and can occur for two reasons.
Firstly, it can occur because the storage capacity is too small - solutions are to put in a bigger storage cylinder or to put in an instantaneous heater (though this will be much more expensive to operate).
Secondly, it can occur because of reduced supply during system peak loadings. To reduce electricity costs, retailers offer "off-peak" supply. This supply does not operate for approximately 150 hours per year. Usually it is available for a minimum of 16 hours per day, but severe cold weather or other system emergencies can result in less supply.
If you would like to upgrade your hot water supply to "uncontrolled", talk to your retailer or your electrician, but be aware that electricity costs will significantly increase - a better solution is a bigger storage cylinder.
How do I know if the meter is correct?
If you have any questions about your electricity meter, phone your retailer (their phone number is on any of their accounts to you). Electricity meters are not owned by Aurora - they are provided by retailers, who may either own them or lease them from others. Electricity retailers will usually arrange to have a meter tested on request, but you are likely to be charged the investigation costs if the meter proves to be accurate.
With so many industry changes, who owns Aurora now?
Aurora is still owned by the same people who have owned it since 1904 - the Dunedin City Council. While Aurora was a Council department trading until 1990, it is now a company 100% owned by Dunedin City Holdings Ltd - and Dunedin City Holdings is 100% owned by the Dunedin City Council.
Incidentally, Dunedin City Council is the largest city council in New Zealand by land area - as a result of an "experiment" in combining urban and rural areas during the 1989 local government amalgamations. Aurora's own "experiment", when it purchased the very-rural Central Otago network in 1999, has proved just as successful.
Then who is DELTA?
DELTA (its full legal name is DELTA Utility Services Ltd) is a 100%-owned subsidiary within the Dunedin City Holdings group of companies. It specialises in the competitive management, construction, operation and servicing of utility sectors (including electricity, telecommunications, gas, water, wastewater, roading and landfills) and undertakes related general contracting.
DELTA operates throughout New Zealand, is quality certified to ISO9001 and holds the contract to provide management and operations services to Aurora.
Why is electricity so expensive?
Compared to what? Sure, it's more expensive than it was a few years ago, but so are most things. However, electricity is cheaper in New Zealand than in most countries, as the following graph illustrates.
Data Source: Ministry of Economic Development (2009) New Zealand Energy Data file June 2009
What is an ICP number?
Every electrical installation connected to a line business network has a unique Installation Control Point number or ICP. This unique number is the primary reference on the National Register, which is a computer database that all electricity retailers use to manage switching of consumers between them.
Retailers are required to print the ICP number on every invoice. It will look like 1234567890DE-A9B. You can use your ICP number to check the line charges to your installation. Simply click here, and follow the instructions.
What are "line charges"?
Electricity retailers sell electricity to consumers. They buy it from electricity generating companies (or generate their own electricity) and pay "lines businesses" to deliver it to your home or business.
There are two kinds of line businesses - transmission businesses (like Transpower NZ Ltd, which is owned by the Government) and distribution businesses (like Aurora).
Charges by "line companies" to electricity retailers for delivery of the electricity are called line charges. Your retailer may have charges on its invoice to you that they call "line charges", but these might be different from the costs they actually pay to Aurora for delivery. A typical breakdown of each dollar you spend on electricity is shown opposite. If you want to find out what Aurora charges retailers for delivery to your home or business, get the ICP number from your latest power account and click here.
Why are some line charges "fixed"?
There are two kinds of "fixed" charges that are commonly associated with line charges; "truly-fixed charges" and capacity charges.
Truly-fixed charges (such as "$15 per month") are intended to recover costs that are the same for all consumers regardless of electricity usage - such as maintenance costs on service mains, which corrode under weather conditions and require maintenance regardless of how much electricity is used by the consumer. These charges are like "account charges" by banks or "line rental" charges by Telecom - such charges are not uncommon in commerce. Aurora's "truly-fixed" charge for Standard Domestic supply is less than $5 per month (less than 17 cents per day) and will not exceed 10% of the average Standard Domestic consumer's annual cost for electricity.
Capacity charges (such as "$15 per kVA per month") are not truly-fixed - they vary according to the capacity required by each consumer. A full explanation of capacity charges is given in Aurora’s Use of System Pricing Methodology, which can be accessed by clicking here.
Why isn't "nightstore" electric heating cheap any more?
But it is. Aurora’s load management system provides signals that electricity retailers can use toswitch your nightstore on during off-peak periods. Most electricity retailers offer substantially lower pricing during these off-peak periods. If you wish to inquire about off-peak pricing, either visit your electricity retailers website, or phone them.
How do I apply for electricity supply?
If the building is already connected to the network but the electricity is disconnected (e.g. fuses are withdrawn), then phone the retailer of your choice, your electrician or 0800 4 DELTA.
If the building is new, or is not connected to the network, your electrician will usually make all the arrangements, but you will need to tell your electrician which retailer you prefer and you may be asked to accept connection charges by signing an Aurora form - your electrician will advise you on this.
Who pays for repairs to my supply?
Aurora is responsible for repairs outside your property. You are responsible for all wiring within your installation. When repairs are needed to the "mains" connecting your installation to the Street distribution, things are a little more complicated; however we have provided a page that explains the process - click here.
How is electricity produced?
The two principal methods are electro-mechanical and chemical. Electro-mechanical methods involve spinning a magnet inside a coil of wires. Mechanical energy is required to spin the magnet and this can be provided by water, coal, gas, wind, nuclear and other fuels. Chemical methods (e.g. fuel cells, photovoltaic cells) are less energy-intensive, tend to be more expensive and consequently are used for special applications.
Who is responsible for trees near power lines?
Please see our full explanation by clicking here.
How do I locate underground cables before digging?
For location of Aurora cables we have arranged a cable location service - phone 0800 4DELTA. This service does not include the location of private power cables, telecommunication cables or pipes, but these services are available from DELTA.
Before you phone, you can look at Aurora's GIS system - it will give you a general idea of what power equipment is near the location you are interested in, but it does not show all equipment and does not accurately locate equipment.
Why aren't all power lines put underground?
To keep the cost of electricity down. Underground cables are much more expensive to install than overhead lines. It is true that they generally require less maintenance and usually suffer fewer faults, but cable faults are much harder (and thus more expensive) to locate and much more expensive to repair.
Because repair can take a long time, alternative supply lines must be installed to avoid lengthy interruptions of consumers, further increasing the cost of underground supply. In spite of the higher cost, Aurora recognises that certain lines should be placed underground, as finance permits, and 2% of distribution revenue is presently spent each year putting distribution lines underground.
Can I have the power lines outside my property put underground?
Yes. First, ask your local authority (DCC, CODC, QLDC) what its policy for undergrounding is. They might have your street on their priority list for joint funding with Aurora. If not, try your neighbours. If a group of neighbouring property owners are willing to share the cost of undergrounding then it might be cheaper than you think. Aurora will provide an estimate of the cost and will advise you how much of this it will contribute for maintenance or replacement costs it will save by the undergrounding. Contact Aurora's asset management contractor - phone 0800 4DELTA.